The Forbidden
by GirlWhoLovesFanfiction
Summary: Sebastian finds out he has ties to a human girl after the completion of the contract. I am horrible with descriptions, but please give this a shot! It just may surprise you!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"_He who busies himself with things other than improvement of his own self becomes perplexed in darkness and entangled in ruin. His evil spirits immerse him deep in vices and make his bad decisions seem handsome._" -Ali ibn Abi Talib

A man clad in a pitch-black suit hovered impatiently over the body of a woman wearing a torn light violet dress. His wine red eyes swept over her thin form, from the large eyes that housed thick, curly lashes, down her small face to her pink lips, which were full but faded. She was unusually thin, as if she had gone a month or so without food. At last his gaze settled upon her legs, which were pale and smooth to the touch. However, he did not care about the woman's beauty. He never cared about appearances, simply what lay beneath them.

He tucked a strand of pitch-black hair behind his ear, his crimson eyes narrowed irritably. He sighed and began pacing about his room, pitch-black and perfectly polished shoes clicking, their resonating beats the only sound for miles, other than the woman's breath and heartbeat, which were both evenly slow, evidence that she was still in her unconscious slumber. He had decided to assume an earl's appearance, with the same features he had held at the time he spent when he was last a servant. He had grown to like the looks, but wanted to wear something more sophisticated than his butler attire.

The man thought back to when he first saw her. Those gorgeous, innocent brown eyes held so much fear when they first glanced upon his true form. He remembered the scream that tore from her throat. It was a bit offensive; he had to admit, that she would scream at the sight of him. However, he knew that in his true form, he was a rather terrifying sight.

He noticed the woman's sharper intake of breaths. He sighed with relief and walked over, grabbing her hand with his and his other picking her up to a sitting position. She jerked her head back and forth in slow movements. The man figured she was most likely having a bad dream.

Her hand clenched his, and he suppressed a smile. Even her little grip was adorable; she wasn't strong enough to actually cause him any harm. Then again, no human was. He ran a hand through her beautiful brown hair, and actually did allow the corners of his mouth to jerk upwards. The contract mark was exposed to the air. His gloves had been abandoned at the island.

The girl jolted awake, panting. She looked wildly about her, like an animal trying to evade its predator. But then her frightened brown eyes met the man's, and she once again let out a scream. The man just stayed where he was, looking down at her irritably. Her scream cut off as she regained her senses. Shakily, she wormed just a bit farther away from him, taking her hand away.

He took this as his cue and rose up from his kneeling position, having a seat in just across from her on a small crimson couch, the smooth material caving as soon as he placed his weight upon it. They regarded one another with completely differing expressions. He folded his hands and watched her coolly, waiting for her to speak up. She watched him with both fear and fascination, unsure of what to do.

Finally, the tension was broken as she decided to ask the first question. "Who are you?" She thought she recognized him from somewhere. Not knowing quite where she was, she was ultimately confused.

The man chuckled. Perhaps this will be fun, he thought. "The one who saved you, of course. You may call me Sebastian."

And just as the words were uttered, an entirely new wave of reality washed over the woman, and her entire disposition altered within only few seconds of hearing who the man really was. And he didn't save her for any noble reason whatsoever.

"_Monster_," she spat the word, glaring at him harshly. The young man chuckled.

"Now why would you go and call me that? I am the one that saved you after all…"

The woman clenched her jaw. "Because a creature such as you deserves no name other than that which defines you perfectly." She huffed. "Why am I still alive?"

He arched an amused eyebrow. "There is no reason in particular," he lied, "I found the idea rather perplexing that you would be wandering about the realm of Hell fully alive and very afraid. Perhaps I kept you alive to find the answer to the question I seek; perhaps I kept you alive because I wanted a little pet. Even I don't know. But I rather enjoy a change in pace every now and then."

She huffed. "I'm alive because this is all very amusing to you. How laughable it is indeed that I've been placed in such a situation. I suppose my life will end just as soon as the fun does?"

The man shrugged. "It is but a mystery," he sighed in mock annoyance. But then he paused and looked her over yet again, implanting the memory of the moment within his mind. "You asked me my name, now I will ask yours. What, My Dear, is your name?"

Her lips pursed in resignation. "Kathryn," she murmured, looking about the room. It was a foreboding place, the furniture matching the room's warm and dark plethora of colors . A blazing fire was placed in the white fireplace, but the flames were blue and captivating, casting off vibrant shades all across the polished, black marble floor. Overall, despite its dark appearance, the room was neat and beautiful. Everything was clean, and there wasn't a single flaw about it.

By the looks of it, it was nighttime. The curtains were drawn, the stars shone intensely, casting off gorgeous flecks of white against the darkened sky, and a blood-red moon was floating high within the inky blackness. "_Kathryn_," his rich voice purred, and her gaze set upon the man in front of her, his crimson eyes alight with mischief. "What a lovely, lovely name, _Kathryn." _He chuckled.

Kathryn looked at him confused. "What do you find so utterly amusing about my name?"

Sebastian kept on chuckling, but it was dark laughter, rolling like thunder. "I simply find it amusing that you would tell me so easily, as knowing one's name is the first step in getting acquainted."

Kathryn turned her gaze sharply away and towards the blue flames of the fire that were being strewn across the polished marble floor, lost in its beauty. "What other choice do I have but to comply with you? I am in a bit of a situation, after all. If I answer something the wrong way, you'll kill me. If I act inappropriately, you'll kill me. It is the thing I was punished to do; be as obedient as a lowly dog and you won't get the whip." She flinched and clutched her stomach, which bore a deep gash. He noticed all the marks upon her body, some of them had dirt stuck within the blood. Other wounds were not scratches but burns, and they were red and looked very painful. Kathryn bore four deep claw marks upon her cheek, as if she had been raked with claws.

Oddly enough, the sight of her injuries ignited fury deep within the man's chest, and he let it rumble quietly in his throat. Kathryn looked at him fearfully, afraid she had done wrong. She searched his expression and noticed that it was not fixated on _her_, but her injuries. She furrowed her brow. What did he have to be angry about- he was a demon and she was just a human. The wounds she bore should have been a good thing for him to witness.

Sebastian snapped back to reality and cleared his throat, his fangs receding back within his mouth. "My apologies," he said swiftly. "I don't like the fact that any guest of mine, whether purely for amusement or a snack, bears any sort of injuries not inflicted by myself." She shuddered at the prospect of having injuries inflicted by him.  
>Sebastian disregarded her behavior and rose from his place, nearing her. Kathryn quaked just a bit within her seat, unsure of whether or not to even attempt to run. It would all be in vain anyways. He paused and gave her a wicked smile. "Well, it's good that you aren't quite so trusting of me. But I will give you my word on this; I will not harm you unless you provoke me. I only wish to tend to the vast amount of wounds you've collected over your little visit."<p>

She nodded, regardless of her uncertainty at having him so near to her. It made her fidget as he moved his head so close to her body, ripping apart the tear already placed on her dress and getting a better view of the scratch, running a finger softly above the cut on her stomach, which was still bleeding.

He sighed as she flinched. But he never looked up and instead kept his gaze on Kathryn. The wound was very deep and unsanitary. But it was something he could fix. Sebastian locked eyes with the woman he had been examining and his voice dropped very sincerely. "The cut on your stomach will need stitches. I cannot afford to move you from this dimension due to the obvious dangers. The scent of your blood will instantly attract any demon for miles. The blood of a human could be enough to drive any demon to madness here."

Kathryn gulped. "Are you certain?"

Sebastian smirked at her. "Oh, indeed. You are an _innocent_, My Dear. Even I, with thousands of years of being around humans, am drawn to you. It was the way I found you so easily. It could drive the lesser demons to insanity. They are trapped down here with nothing to do but torture the souls of the dead. They don't get any opportunities to drink mortal blood. The only reason I'm able to remain calm is because I've already consumed a soul very recently. I have very little desire for yours."

Kathryn shuddered and clenched her hands together. She felt like she was dealing with a hurricane that was just about to hit, but she was trapped in the stillness before the storm. It was a foreboding feeling, and she absolutely hated it. "How long will I have to be here, then?"

He tapped a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Well, for your wounds to heal, I would give it a good month, just to be safe. But that doesn't exactly say that within a month you'll leave."

Her blood ran cold when she heard this. "What is that supposed to mean: you've decided to keep me or-?"

He smirked. "I've decided a little pet may not be such a bad idea. After all, I found you intriguing from the moment I first saw you. Who knows: maybe if I decide you can leave, I'll go through the trouble of sneaking you out. Or letting you run away just to see how far you can make it before dying a gruesome death. Whatever suits me." She looked sharply away, glaring at the wall. How she wished she could smack him. Actually, no, she wanted to _kill_ him. But there was no way she could possibly hurt him. Even in his human form, he was nearly invincible.

She could do nothing but nod and clench her teeth defiantly. Sebastian removed himself from her direct line of sight and then checked a little watch that lay just within his pocket, its silver exterior designed with something, but Kathryn couldn't quite make it out as he moved it away so quickly, snapping it shut. He turned to her. "In the human world, it's about ten o'clock at night. You need your rest, so I must patch you up quickly."

Kathryn only blinked for a millisecond, but when she opened her eyes once again, a medical bag had appeared. She gasped in surprise and he chuckled at her. "I'm not a human," was all he said as he began taking out a clear liquid in a bottle. He grabbed a cloth and began to pour it onto the rag. He turned to her. "This will sting quite a bit."

She arched her back as he began to wipe away the blood and hissed. Sebastian watched as the beautiful crimson hissed and bubbled from the peroxide, completely wasted. He sighed and continued. A thin trickle of blood was still coming from her wound, and as soon as he wiped away all the grime, he placed a new cloth without medicine on it over the cut and pressed, cutting off the blood flow. He kept the pressure on her stomach, and with his other hand wiped away the fresh blood.

He slaved away for the majority of an hour upon her wound. Afterwards, she looked far better than she had, and the laceration on her stomach had stopped bleeding and had a bandage wrapped around her middle. "Finally," muttered Sebastian, "I'm done."

Kathryn groggily tried to use the sides of the sofa she sat on to support herself in getting to her feet, and she managed to rise slightly, but her knees buckled and she nearly fell to the floor. She flinched but the impact never came, as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her for support. She looked up to Sebastian, and he looked down at her, his wine-red eyes searching her brown ones. He regarded her stoically, but she thought she caught a glimmer something beyond that front of his. In one swift movement, he had picked her up as he would a bride, and held her close to his chest, her neck supported by the crook of his arm.

"You cannot walk like this, Kathryn. You need time to heal. But worry not: you'll have plenty." He said gently, and she hummed and nestled her head closer to him, falling asleep. He smiled wearily at her: a true smile, something he never showed often.

He walked slowly, enjoying the moment he had her with him. She was so warm in his arms, and so very light. He frowned as he thought this: her stomach had concaved and she looked pale. He never really got his answer. Why had she come to his realm? She couldn't have come there on her own: could she have?

He lay her down in an empty room just across from his own. She was mumbling something faintly under her breath, though her words were incoherent, it sounded as if she were in a sort of nightmare. Her eyeballs danced behind her eyelids as if she were searching for something within her own mind.

How badly he wanted to hold her: how badly he wanted to place his lips upon her own soft, pink ones. She was so naturally beautiful. He moved a lock of perfectly curled brown hair from her face and leaned down towards her, examining her delicate complexion. Gently, softly, so as to not wake her up, he shut his eyes and kissed her brow. Then, without another sound, he left. The only thing on his mind the fact he wanted nothing more than to lie beside her; to hold her tightly to himself. When he had fallen for such an inexplicably vexing woman, he did not know.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"_Where there is no imagination there is no horror_."- Arthur Conan Doyle

Fire was everywhere. It was the only thing Kathryn could see for miles, was pure, roaring, untamed fire. But wherever she did not see the fires and flames of wrath known as Hell, she saw pitch-black, burnt bodies crying ceaselessly as their flesh was torn apart by raging flames. She was at the bottom of a pit, a lake of fire. The air around her was dry and made her cough. Everything smelt of sulfur, smoke, and rotting flesh. There was no fresh air.

Laughing demons ceaselessly jabbered on at the top of the spikey cliff, their clawed hands grappling the ends and occasionally jabbing the souls with their spears, drawing no blood but ultimately ripping them apart quicker. Kathryn was too shocked and frightened to move.

Somehow, the flames and heat had no effect on her, even though everything burned brightly and intense. Jagged rocks jutted from the ground, and burnt bodies walked slowly across it, like zombies chasing after flesh. One of the smaller ones fell by her feet and gazed up at her. It had one big, round, blue eye, and one purple. She noted the symbol in the purple eye and gasped as she recognized its demonic appearance. Kathryn took a step back, thinking of how familiar the soul was. But the corpse only growled at her and continued on its way, crawling across the floor, its already blackened flesh hissing on the rocks and leaving ashes in its trail.

Kathryn stumbled and flinched as she felt a sharp pain on the heel of her foot. Crimson blood dotted the ground, evidence that she had indeed been punctured by one of the rocks. She stood there a few seconds, unsure of what to do. But then she felt a dark presence behind her and whipped around to come face to face with a short demon, the ugliest creature she had ever seen in her life.

The thing had a gaping mouth, full of razor-sharp teeth that appeared to rotate within the gums. There were several levels of those rotating teeth, and even the cheeks bore those frightening things. Fire of all colors danced within its eyes, but the pupils were naught but dark slits, darker than any black she had ever seen.

The creature walked as if the activity was a labor for him, and its skeleton was entirely visible through its skin. It was stark naked, but the creature bore no gender as far as Kathryn could tell. Spikes ran down from the top of its ugly, disfigured head down its thin back. The creature did not have hands, but merely a stump filled with jagged, terrifying claws that were curved like a sickle. There were roughly twenty on each hand, and each was bone-white and crusted with grime, undoubtedly holding bacteria of all shapes and sizes.

It cocked its foul head to the side, regarded her with a confused expression, licked its lips, and uttered a barely coherent word that sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"_Alive_."

To say Kathryn screamed would be an understatement. But the sound was lost within the roar of the flames. She supposed the only voices that could be heard in Hell were the demons', rasping their torment and muting the words used by the damned, so that in time all they can remember is the sound of their own wailing and growling, far below pure animalistic noises that shook one to their core.

The demon lurched towards her and Kathryn whipped around and ran, but soon a crowd of the things had swarmed around her, blocking her exit. She was trapped.

They snarled and grabbed for her, their sharp sickle-like fingers scratching her and making her bleed all over the jagged rocks. More and more blood spilt onto the rocks and boiled there, turning as black as everything else not part of the writhing flames. As soon as a deep stabbing gash was placed onto her stomach, making her cry in pain, a deep roar resonated throughout the lake, making every demon there pause and quake within their stances. They released her at once, and scurried off, hiding themselves within every nook and crevice.

Kathryn looked up to see a figure with black wings sprouting from its back diving straight towards her. She screamed and attempted to flee, but the demon landed harshly in front of her, making her stumble from the vibrations on the ground. This demon was unlike the rest. It looked more humanoid, with long black hair that fell just above his shoulders and a mouth that was indeed jagged, but his teeth looked more or less like a canine's, he had four long, sharp, curved ones and the rest were merely sharp. He had a broad chest and seemed to be very muscular. She couldn't discern much through the darkness that clouded over him, however; black flames that emanated from his entire body. The sheer power emanating off him was enough to make her quake.

His eyebrows were furrowed, and his flame-filled eyes held even more vibrancy than any other demon she had seen. But then he looked around the two of them quickly, scanning the area for an unknown purpose.

"Pardon me, miss," he said. Before Kathryn could question him, or even gasp in surprise at his eloquence in articulating speech, he bounded for her and wrapped his arms around her, carrying her as he would a bride. She screamed once again in terror as he took off quickly into the darkened night, the stars shining brilliantly against the inky blackness, despite the thick plumes of smoke arising from the eternal flames.

Kathryn quickly fell into unconsciousness as the ground fell away from her, however. And the demon looked over her face, wondering what a live mortal was doing in the Realm of Hell.

She awoke with a start and noticed the sunlight streaming through her window. But before she could sigh with relief, she noticed that the room was unfamiliar. Her heartbeat picked up. Last night's dream, while it had been indeed a dream, had been real, and all the events had happened. Though in her sleep, she hadn't followed the tale consecutively, and only witnessed the burning corpses and the demonic faces that plagued her nightmare. It had been the reason she had awoken, she had watched as a clawed hand outstretched itself towards her, ready to dissect her messily.

There was a polite knock on her door. She shook in her bed and clutched the sheets tighter. There was still a high possibility she could die at any given moment. "Miss Kathryn? I know you're awake, please do let me in," said Sebastian.

She shivered. "All right." The door opened swiftly and in stepped said demon, pulling a cart of breakfast items behind him. He gave her a bright smile, a glint of mischief behind those perplexing red eyes of his.

"How was your sleep last night, My Dear?" he asked.

"It was..." Kathryn decided to go with a lie, "Decent enough. Why are you in such a good mood this morning?"

He turned away and handed her a plate and a fork. "I don't quite know. Something about the day seems much better than usual for some reason." _Well, that's good_, thought Kathryn, _it means he's in good humor. Maybe it'll help my survival if he's happy._

Kathryn took a single bite of the scone he had placed for her and almost immediately inhaled the clump on her tongue. By the stars in the sky, it was the best food she had ever consumed! She looked incredulously at the demon, and he simply gave her that same smile. He watched as she ate, waiting patiently as she attempted to act civilized as she wolfed down the food. She wiped her mouth when she finished, heaving a great sigh of relief. "Thank you," she said. She meant it.

He nodded. "If I couldn't do this much at least, what kind of a host would I be?" She arched an eyebrow at him. After a small pause, he eyed her amusedly. "I didn't believe for a second you would have a decent night's rest, not after witnessing Hell for the first time. Why did you lie to me?"

Kathryn shivered. "I-It's the polite thing to do, lie for others' sake. It's just the way I was made to behave." Sebastian looked her over, his expression sober.

"Well, I will have none of that. I won't kill you simply for telling the truth. Actually, I am more inclined to kill you when you lie. I want nothing but the truth, My Dear. And I can easily tell a lie- demons are known for their lies after all."

"Will you lie to me?" She asked. He paused.

"I would like to make a deal with you," he said after a while of thinking. "If you don't lie to me, I won't lie to you." Kathryn nodded.

"Deal," she murmured. He grinned.

"Now then, for my question. How did you come here?"

Kathryn shivered, and a small tear gathered in the corner of her eye. "I was kidnapped by a cult a few years ago, and they held me captive. I was sold into slavery to the leader. During an experiment, they shackled me down and chanted. My body began to get... warm. It began to burn. And when I opened my eyes, I was lying on blackened ground with flames surrounding me."

"You came here," Said Sebastian, his red eyes gleaming with intensity. She nodded. "Yes."

He leaned back and chuckled. "And here I thought the answer would have been far more elaborate. Really, if you wanted to, you could have at least made your story more interesting by adding in more details, as most humans would do. They would have added in how much they suffered, or what they felt. But you? You simply stated the facts." Kathryn remained silent and looked down. "I admire that. It means you aren't as proud. And pride can be the death of you."

"Many things can," said Kathryn, "I just try to live by the Bible as much as I can, and listen to God's word." His eyes narrowed.

"You've kept your faith so strong, even after the years you spent in captivity?"

She nodded, her eyes seeing far beyond the dimension and into another world, the world she had known for so long. "It was the thing I clung to throughout my whole life. I know that God is always with me. And with that knowledge, I can endure any evil. You're a demon, Sebastian. You know what it's like when humans have such a strong faith- they tend to be capable of spectacular things."

Sebastian thought of the capable human named Agni. "Yes," he said finally. "I will not deny that."

Kathryn continued. "Any empowering faith can lead any human to do extraordinary things, whether good or bad. It just has to come from within you. I can't really explain it- it's something that gives you a purpose to live."

Sebastian rose and sat at the foot of her bed, taking a closer look at the strange woman. "You are in Hell. You are in a demon's territory. You are speaking with a demon. You even spoke so freely of how much your faith empowers you, yet before you didn't tell me of your night's rest because you feared me so much. Why did you suddenly lose your reserved façade?" He didn't seem angry, nor did he even seem irritated, more astonished than anything.

"I fear you, Sebastian. And I fear death. But if admitting my own faith is enough to kill me, I will never falter. I look forward to spending the rest of eternity in Heaven. If that means death, or torture, or anything else, then it will be so. I will never renounce the faith I've built my life on, nor do I intend to deny it."

He raised both eyebrows. "A true Christian, then."

Kathryn smirked confidently. "Without a doubt. I fear death enough to stall it, but not to the point I will revoke my beliefs."

"Interesting," was all Sebastian said as he rose, his auburn eyes flashing with Hellfire. He had quite a bit on his mind now: he recognized her soul, and her ceaseless faith was nothing short of familiar. He placed a finger on his chin, tapping it in thought. Finally, he smiled. "Well, since there really isn't anything else to do, would you do me the honor of playing a game with me?"

Kathryn narrowed her eyes and her heart beat faster. She had read enough newspapers to know that this could very well be a very dangerous game indeed. What did he want to play- cat and mouse? She mentally shivered. "Wh-What kind of game?" She asked hesitantly.

He began to walk out of the room. Just as he was in the doorway, he gave her a sly grin. "Chess." Kathryn deadpanned and followed after him. She trailed far back behind him, giving the demon plenty of space. But then he stopped and turned back to her. "Don't be shy. I don't bite." But then that blasted grin came back. "Well, I suppose that might be a little false. But I don't plan on biting you yet."

She sighed and caught up to him, this time walking only a few inches behind. Up close, even though his mere presence was dark and threatening, it didn't help that he was far taller than her. She fell about mid-chest up to him. It was almost embarrassing. He looked down at her and placed a hand on the small of her back, inching her closer. She blushed as she was brought even closer to him as they walked. But even when she walked right beside him, he still didn't remove the hand from her back. It was politely placed, and not at all harsh. It was simply there, gently so, and she could feel the warmth of him, his body, through the hand. He was feverishly warm, something she absolutely enjoyed. It was abnormal, but understanding his race, she supposed it wasn't too strange, the way his body temperature was inclined.

He kept his eyes ahead, though he never did wipe that small smile that touched his lips. It was a look of pride. But in what?

Many thoughts ran throughout her mind. Confusion. _Why am I alive? Why does he want a pet? And why... doesn't he act like the others? He has such a calm air about him, and seems completely at peace. Chaos is all that demons are. So why does he not act vile? He hasn't even threatened to kill me. But then again, I suppose it is in this sense that I have to be on my highest guard. He's up to no good. Yes- that's it. It's the only reason he can act so calm. He has all his ducks in a row. I don't know what he has planned. But it's nothing good._

They reached a large room with a desk and many sofas. And in the center was a vacant table, its rich mahogany glinting in the bright sunlight streaming from the gold and red curtains. Sebastian sat on one side, and Kathryn seated herself across from him. He waved his hand casually over the table, and a checkered board appeared straight out of thin air, as if it had always been there, and could only be seen after one blinked. Kathryn stared at it, but Sebastian only began to arrange the pieces in the correct order. He hesitated a while after placing the king, and seemed to smile nostalgically.

She did her best to mimic what he did, so that she wouldn't look a fool for having no clue of as to how to set up her pieces. She could only vaguely remember how each piece was played.

She looked over the board in utter confusion. It had been a long time since she had last tried her hand at chess. He leaned over the board and examined her pieces. They sat in silence before the demon broke it. "Aren't you going to move? Your pieces are white. That means you have a slight advantage."

She flushed. "Ummm... yes." And then she moved a knight over one of the pawns in a straight line.

Sebastian looked at her blandly. "You have no idea how to play, do you?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "Well then, I suppose now is as good a time as any to teach you."

Kathryn gasped. "Really? Chess was always something I had wanted to learn, but..." she sighed. "Let's just put it this way: there were complications."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well then, let's see what you know so far. Show me everything." They spent the next hour going through basic moves and trials. As it turned out, Kathryn was an extremely capable learner, and had quite a talent. Finally, Sebastian found she was ready. "Very well, I think that'll be enough." He set up his side and Kathryn did the same, placing everything correctly without looking at his side. "A word of advice?"

Kathryn placed her last piece and looked up confidently. "Take this from a demon like myself; try being unpredictable." She furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean by this?"

He smiled. "Well, I've already seen the way you maneuver your pieces. If you want to play fairly with me, you can't expect to use only one strategy. It's the secret to success, to explore uncharted grounds, to do something different."

She readjusted her position. "Right... Right."

Regardless, due to her inexperience, he had her beaten every time they played. But he was gracious about it, and never was a sore winner. Kathryn didn't act it, but after losing so many games, she was feeling very insecure. She sighed after yet another defeat, and Sebastian rose from his position, getting rid of the board.

"I think we should try something else. Would you be interested in other things, perhaps non-competitive?" Kathryn blushed brightly when he said this, embarrassed that she had lost as much as she did. She hadn't won a single round. He was serious when he told her he wouldn't be holding back.

"What did you have in mind?"

Sebastian checked his pocket watch. "Well, it just so happens I have a wide assortment of musical instruments. If you knew how to play, I believe that would be splendid."

Kathryn immediately shot up and gasped excitedly. "Do you have a piano?" He nodded. "Of course." And so he led her once again to the music room, where many instruments were about its interior. She grinned in pure delight as the shiny black piano came into her view. Quickly, she took her seat. But her fingers, already prepared to dance about the keys, paused. She turned to him.

"I'd always played in secrecy, and never once in my life played in front of anyone. So, do please understand that I am a bit... nervous about doing this. I fear you'll think less of me."

Sebastian himself grabbed a violin. "Well, I don't care if you think any less of me. I intend to play, My Dear. It is up to you to join in if you wish." He kept a steady face, but his eyes flashed with mischief.

And then, a delicate tune found its way to her ears. It was soft, and ominous, but beautiful nonetheless. It was almost haunting, the way he played. It sounded exactly as Kathryn had assumed he felt; complicated, yet filled with life and fire. The notes were slow, but they greatly contributed to the song. Dark, but filled with passion. Soft, yet sharp. Complex, yet its smooth rhythm betrayed simplicity.

Kathryn took a deep breath. And, she began. Her tune was a bit like Sebastian's; hers was slow, but not dark at all. Instead hers was a bit more sorrowful, but laced with a quieter innocent tune. Her rhythm was faster, but a bit more reserved, a bit softer. As she shut her eyes in an attempt to blend the music better, Sebastian opened his and watched her in complete shock. It was all very beautiful, the way her music synchronized with his perfectly. The way her face looked so concentrated yet relaxed. The way her golden-brown hair flowed down her back. The way her pure white nightgown conformed to her delicate skin, so smooth to the touch. His suspicions had been correct. He realized now who she was.

He snapped his gaze away and continued on with his music, now appreciating the tune he had set out. Indeed, it was a test for her. And she had passed, exceeding even his expectations. She truly did know how to play quite beautifully.

But then Kathryn became distracted by her own thoughts. The strokes on the piano became a bit louder as her true reality hit her; she was there, in Hell, playing and finding nothing wrong within the company she kept. She had been taken against her will, while still alive, to a place no man would ever want to journey. And then a harsh reality hit her. What if she could never leave?

A crystal tear began to trail its way down her cheek as she cried in silence. But Sebastian stopped abruptly once the smell hit his nose- he knew the scent of tears. Kathryn stopped too and looked down. Throughout the progression of the beautiful song they had performed, Sebastian had noted how she had begun to get faster and louder, her thoughts had become clouded.

She stole one glance at him and more tears began to fall, and her lips began to quiver. "I… I…" She whispered, but at the end her voice rose in pitch and she immediately rushed out of the room.

She raced her way through the hallways, remembering vaguely the path she had taken. And soon, she found herself within her room. She shut the door and leaned against it, falling to the ground, and cradling her knees in her arms. Her sobs remained silent, though. It was the way she had been raised.

Sebastian sat in the music room, completely and utterly baffled. All of a sudden, her mood seemed to have dropped dramatically. He wondered what could have possibly been racing through her mind. He rose after a few seconds and sniffed her out, proudly finding himself in her room. So she had remembered her way. What a smart girl.

He knocked on her door, and he heard scuffling within the room. Finally, she opened it, her face blushing and tears still running down her face. He came in and she shut the door behind him.

"Kathryn... what went through your mind?" he asked gently. She sobbed.

"Sebastian... you're very, very nice to me. But just because you're nice doesn't make this situation any better. I'm still in Hell. I'm still trapped. And I've become your pet. I know I'm nothing but that to you, but... will I ever... leave?"

The demon snapped his gaze away and sighed. "When your wounds heal, and you've decided to leave, I... will assist you."

Her jaw nearly hit the floor the moment he said this. Without a moment's pause, she darted to where he was and wrapped her arms around him. Sebastian's eyes widened as he tensed from the hug he was getting. Never once in his life had he actually been hugged when the human knew what he was, and never had he been hugged due to his own kindness.

He slowly wrapped his arms around her, knowing that it was the proper response. And then he felt it. That warm, glowing feeling. He hadn't felt it in so long, not since... not since...

He grabbed her tighter, closing his eyes and sighing. It was what he had wanted. It was what he had missed. But far too soon, Kathryn pulled away, a bright blush on her face. "Er," she said awkwardly, "Yeah. Thank you. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable just now, but..."

Sebastian faked a smile. Damn, he wanted another hug. "No, I understand." His voice had gotten much softer. He cleared it, and turned around. "Well then," he said, his usual tone returning. "I suppose now may be a decent time to check up on your wounds. Perhaps if they're well enough, you will be able to bathe. Please follow me to the bathroom."

And so he led her to the bathroom as he had said and did as he said he would do, and indeed her wounds had healed. The stitches he had made were already looking better, and the redness had gone down only slightly, but it was all well enough. He smiled. "You're doing much better, My Dear. I think you can indeed bathe."

And so, Sebastian rose from where he had sat Kathryn down on the counter and drew back the Crimson curtains around the bathtub, and Kathryn gasped. The tub was golden, and already filled with water. Sebastian dipped a finger in, then nodded. "That should be decent enough, I think. I will leave now, please do notify me once you are done. There are many changes of attire to choose from in the closet, all you need to do is look. I will empty the water when you come out."

"Oh, and one more thing?" She turned to look at him from where she had been observing the water, which looked itself like liquid gold. He grinned. "Dress nicely." Kathryn flushed nodded and once he left, she set to work on her appearance. Her hair was a disheveled mess. Her eyes were rimmed with dark circles, and were still a bit puffy from her crying. Her skin was pale. She wondered how Sebastian could ever stand the very sight of her. Such an unsightly appearance was far unfitting for a lady.

She undressed her nightgown and laid it out properly on the counter. And once her legs hit the water and she slowly eased herself in, she sighed in great relief. She flinched once her stitches were hit by the warm water, but eventually enjoyed the bath. Soaps had been arranged for her, and all the grime of the past was finally being washed away, replaced by more feminine and proper scents. She dipped her head in and enjoyed the cleansing feeling that lingered on her scalp. She ran the soap through her hair and eventually, the tangles were eased away using a comb. Finally, she rinsed a last time and stepped out, ringing her hair and using a towel, which had also been warmed, to wipe her hair and body. She looked in the mirror and sighed once again with relief. She looked much better.

Wrapping a towel about herself, she walked through her room, which was connected to her bathroom, and looked within the closet. There, she gasped at the sight of such beautiful, elegant dresses all neatly hung up. She took down a light violet one, laced with silver, and took a corset out as well, placing it around her. _How do I do this exactly...?_

After she examined it carefully, memories began coming back to her. She would have to loosen the strings in the back first, and so she did. Then, Kathryn wrapped it carefully about her middle, and fastened the front busk from top to bottom. Then, she began to pull the pull loops and realized her grave mistake. She hissed in sharp pain as it went tightly around her middle, but not at all anywhere else it was supposed to. Quickly, she unfastened the string and went into the bathroom to examine what to do next.

Finally, she found out that she had to evenly tug each set of strings from top to bottom, pausing in the midsection and tightening the top, gradually working her way down. Once she had finished, she tightened the pull loops so that the bottom half was set. She was done. And when she observed herself once again in the mirror, she raised an eyebrow. Now, she looked much better.

She figured that since she had no idea where to put the pull loops, she wrapped them around and tied them in a secure knot at her front, figuring that the strings wouldn't show through the dress. Next came the bustle and four underskirts. Afterwards, she took out a pair of stockings and placed them up on her legs. Finally, she took the dress and placed it over her head, slipping it on. It landed delicately around her, and she grinned at its elegance and beauty, but also the way it brought out the vibrancy in her hair.

For her hair, she grabbed the comb and for a final time swept it through her hair. It was still wet. She sighed. She went at her hair relentlessly with her towels for a while before she was satisfied with how dry it was. Finally, she made an elegant French twist with her hair, and observed her new reflection. She looked a completely different woman, whose elegance and maturity could seize any man she wished. And she so hoped to impress Sebastian with her new appearance.

The wounds on her stomach wouldn't be causing her any trouble. And regardless, the corset helped to cut off the blood from flowing. She noticed the assorted fragrances in her room, along with facial powder. She stared the hardest at the powder, trying to decide whether or not to use it. After all, she could get away with a little makeup. It couldn't hurt.

After she lightly dabbed her face, she pinched her cheeks, observing her new blush. Then, the lipstick tube was what she used next, placing it carefully over her slightly dulled, yet full lips. Finally, she doused herself lightly with a vanilla and jasmine fragrance. Finally, her complete reflection appeared before her. She. Looked. Stunning.

Nodding, she got into the shoes she had found in the closet that matched the dress, high-heeled and delicate. And then she gracefully left the room, feeling for the first time in forever, happy.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"_How very little can be done under the spirit of fear_."- Florence Nightingale

In her childhood, Kathryn had always been curious. As a babe, she was moderately quiet, her parents noticed, and usually spent her time observing the outside world rather than fussing about it. Between the ages of two and eight, ever piece of artwork she had made, she had made for her parents. She said it made her happier to see other people smile at what she did than to accumulate her own creations. Because when she kept her works of art, it made her smile less than when other people enjoyed it.

When she was eight, she had been taken by the cult.

A man with a bald head and a long, scraggly beard entered their little café at the end of town and saw her, the picture of pure innocence, reading a little book on one of the stools, her happy mother watching over her. Her father was the only waiter. Her mother was the only chef. But they both owned the store.

He decided that she would be perfect for their ritualistic sacrifices, as her cute innocence would by far propel demons more than the children they had already stolen- the children in their custody were empty-eyed and devoid of life. She was the light. And they wanted to annihilate it.

They couldn't have people looking for her, in case of their own discovery. So they proceeded to burn their house, and took her in her sleep while the mother and father burned alive. It would be a later strategy they would use for the house of the Phantomhives. But they hadn't discovered their desire for the boy yet. What they had discovered was that throughout it all, the little girl retained that light in her eyes, even though it had been penetrated only slightly by sorrow and despair. She cried every night, wishing for her parents to come for her and save her. She also wept tears for the other children who sooner succumbed to their own misery and became hollow, parched of tears. But she would never stop praying. And it was for her ongoing strength that she was always a part of every ritual they performed. But she was never slaughtered. Their plan was to wait until a demon arrived before they allowed it to consume her freshly.

But no demons came, and years passed before finally, they gave up all hope. Because she couldn't be used for their rituals, they sold her away into slavery a month after a boy with blue-black hair was thrown into his cage of other lost children. She was seventeen.

Kathryn soon learnt all the proper manners around her abusive master. She couldn't doubt him, or in the very least voice her doubts. She couldn't tell him the harsh truth, for it would either mean her death or yet another beating. But Kathryn never gave up, determined to keep her light and remember God through all her struggles. Her parents were always telling her never to lose her faith, no matter how hard life could seem at times. And so, she continued on her way, hoping that one day, the light of her life would be restored again.

"Sebastian?" Asked a soft, feminine voice at his door. He heard her rapping upon it lightly, and he chuckled. She was adorable when she tried to be polite. He waved a hand over his own reflection and smiled at his change of hair and attire. His own hair had been groomed, and had been slicked back. His outfit hadn't changed much, except for the fact that his shoes had been polished and he wore different silver cufflinks. Otherwise, he looked the same as ever, though with a bit more class.

He opened the door and his eyes widened at the sight of a very different- looking Kathryn. Her once scraggly hair had been combed and refined, her beautiful face even more elegant than he had seen before. And the dress she wore suited her perfectly, and he noticed that the curve of her waist. Overall, a goddess stood before him, and he placed a hand over his own hear to lessen its own frequent beating. "My Lady," he said, one arm behind his back and the other still on his chest, he bowed low. Once he arose, he noticed Kathryn's heavy blush all over her cheeks.

"Sebastian..." She said very quietly, but with his sensitive hearing he could pick up the whisper, which was indeed like music to his ears. He loved it when she said his name. "Please, I-I'm no lady..."

He kneeled with a large smirk evident on his face, took her hand, and kissed it. Through her glove, Kathryn could feel his warm hands and lips, and it sent both heat to her face and a shiver to her spine. "You are very much indeed a lady. Only a lady could ever hope to look as beautiful as you do now."

Kathryn groaned and he chuckled and rose. "Now then, _My Lady,_ shall I lead you to the dining room?" She nodded and placed her hands on the crook of his arm, and he kept them close to his chest as they both walked.

She raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "You really do enjoy playing the part of a host, don't you?"

He chuckled. "It is indeed a wonderful thing to do, being the host for once. But really, I find it more pleasant to have such a guest to my manor."

"Why do you call me 'My Lady' now? You used to call me 'My Dear'."

He turned his head completely this time and regarded her with warm eyes. "Because after seeing you like this, you deserve a more fitting title. You are still 'My Dear', but you are also 'My Lady'. I suppose I cannot explain it all too well, just know that both titles now belong to you." Kathryn smiled.

"All right then, for my final question: What exactly do you have planned for this afternoon?"

"If I told you," he raised an amused eyebrow, "It wouldn't be that great of a surprise, now would it?"

Kathryn giggled. "Oh, you must admit- that line is rather overused."

He turned his head and said softly, "I think it suits us perfectly." Before she could question him further, he walked with her right into a beautifully lit dining room with a wide assortment of food. A ham sat in the center, with all the possible compatible sides arranged as a sort of buffet. She was entirely impressed with the display and offered Sebastian a smile. He returned the look and pulled out a chair before her, and she sat. He moved her in and took his own place at the head of the table, where he would sit right beside her.

On her plate was a display of gorgeously colored and fresh food. She ate slowly, however, so as to savor each dish. Sebastian eyed his own food and sighed. It didn't taste at all as delicious as she found it, but he ate anyways. Kathryn turned to him, surprised. "You're eating?"

He nodded. "Yes. I figured that if you ate in front of me again in such a fancy atmosphere that it might be a bit uncomfortable."

And so, they ate in companionable silence, holding light conversation with one another. When Kathryn was done, Sebastian made all the plates and food disappear and led her to the ballroom, where soft music was already playing. This music was far more joyous than the tune they had composed together, and she recognized it to be ballroom music. Which meant...? Her eyes widened and she began to go weak at the knees. She couldn't dance!

He led her gently on to the floor and placed his hands on her sides, and once again she could feel the heat from them on her, making her feel both warm and cold yet again. She blushed heavily. "Sebastian... I can't dance. After all that time being enslaved, I-"

He hushed her and pulled her just a bit closer, placing her arms up and around his neck. "Just follow my lead," he said softly, taking her by her hips. At first, Kathryn was stiff as a board and would occasionally step on his feet. He smiled as she uttered her continuous string of terrified apologies and told her it was all right.

And soon, they fell into their own rhythm, and soon the world melted away. His beautiful crimson eyes. Her beautiful violet and silver dress. Golden-brown and black hair. All of it became one and the same, and only they, with a world all their own, could possibly exist.

Sebastian took his time taking in every detail of her. Those small, delicate fingers held in his own larger ones seemed so fragile to him. She was his most prized possession- a beautiful woman he could protect. She looked upon him with innocent doe-eyes, and smiled at him with those pink, full, gorgeous lips.

Her second day was going very well. She seemed to have a large burden lifted off her shoulders. It was good, seeing her so much more comfortable.

Kathryn looked into his eyes. Once, she had thought that when they turned that frightening fuchsia that it appeared they housed the fires of Hell itself, and they were dangerously beautiful. But now as she looked at him, she realized that it seemed they had a different depth to them. His wine red eyes looked almost human save for their color, and the pupils were even altered. But she began to wonder if everything about him, from his looks to personality, was a lie. She still didn't fully trust him, and she still couldn't truly believe anything he said, no matter how convincing. But the strangest thing was that he hadn't tried anything to corrupt her yet, save for his pure seduction. But lust could be pushed away.

Perhaps it was his plan all along, to seduce her into believing that everything he appeared to be was true. Kathryn felt herself pulled to him now, forcibly drawn to him. Was it God's plan that she was with him, a test? If so, she planned to follow His example and hopefully remain righteous. But for her own survival she danced now, ever so slightly smitten by his charm. It was a dangerous chess game they played.

But chess was a game of trickery. The way of the world. How a single king must be protected by all his pawns, rooks, and knights. Even the Queen herself is sacrificed in such a deathly game. It was the way so many monarchs, lords, and ladies played- sacrifice others to ensure your own survival. It was a selfish game. And perhaps that was why Sebastian had so easily beaten her time and time again... he was cunning and narcissistic. The fact of the matter was, his entire existence was based solely on self-preservation. But he was a singular King, with no pawns or rooks. He was playing a game all his own, the ghosts of all the other pieces completely eradicated as the end was neigh.

He had beaten her with experience in this field. He knew how to sacrifice his pieces and maneuver them elegantly about the board. When one of them was threatened, he hadn't even cared. He felt no losses. His king could never be stolen. His game was different. In his game, every single other piece was simply a toy. Even the ones on his own side. And Kathryn had viewed her pieces in an entirely different perspective.

When she saw her pieces, she saw them as important to her. In the end, she was always fighting to keep as many of her pieces on the board as she could. In the end, when Sebastian maneuvered his pieces ever so slyly, she would always overlook the danger to herself. She was looking at the danger he posed to her individual pieces.

_And that is my downfall_, she thought bitterly_. I_ _am far, far too naïve and humble. And that is why I could never hold my place in the world. Perhaps to truly achieve something, you have to be narcissistic, and even a little cold._ And then she thought; _what is innocence, exactly_?

_The way the dictionary defines it is that innocence is simply not being guilty of something. But I get the feeling that Sebastian views innocence in another way... he sees it as naiveté. _My _naiveté. He's never been so correct_.

"Sebastian?" She asked quietly. "Why did you want to play chess with me earlier?"

He smiled. "My old master had an affinity towards the game, and I realized that since I had a guest, I might enjoy the luxury." He chuckled. "He referred to me as his Knight. The boy was a fool." Kathryn nodded. She couldn't agree more. He was a fool, in thinking that Sebastian was a Knight. He was the King. The boy was _his_ Knight. He only acted the part of a tool for his own purposes.

Because in the end, all of his previous masters had been pawns. Why would he choose his souls so specifically? Could it be because the opponent was God himself? Yes. The masters were sculpted by the demon's inculcation, bent on destruction of God's pawns.

Kathryn inwardly shuddered at the idea that she was a pawn. But then again, it depended on the game. In the game of good versus evil, she would gladly fight on the white side, God's side. In the end, the white pawns were placed in eternal paradise. The black pawns were placed in eternal damnation. She would never again make the mistake of confusing the sides.

The song ended and Kathryn realized that she had been completely absorbed in her own thoughts that she had barely noticed that they had been dancing for quite a while. She was in fact breathless in the end. Sebastian smiled. "You danced well, My Lady. As graceful as a cat." He sniggered inwardly at his own joke.

She smiled at him. But he noticed that there was something unsettling about her smile, even for him. Her eyes betrayed her own innocent smile. Was it determination that he saw? Something told him she wouldn't be quite so awkward around him again. And it made him irritable. But he couldn't show it. "Why thank you. Do you happen to know the time?" She interrupted his thoughts. He checked his pocket watch.

"About five in the afternoon, perfect time for tea, and for me to begin dinner preparations." Of course, he wouldn't really need to prepare anything. He had powers to do so for him. However, he still possessed remnants of his old life as a butler: dinner preparations were like second nature to him. And so he led her to the dining room, where she amused herself by looking out the window for a minute or so before Sebastian came back in with a cup on a plate, and a tea kettle, already warm with tea inside.

"Today's tea will be an Earl Grey Crème Black tea, Earl Grey which includes the typically tart bergamot orange tampered by creamy vanilla, further blended to the classic Earl Grey. I hope you find it to your liking. Would you care for a snack as well?" Kathryn smiled and thanked him.

"No, that will be-" And it was at this moment that her stomach began to growl. Sebastian raised an eyebrow and gave her a dull look. She laughed nervously.

"I thought we'd agreed upon no further lies?"

She sighed. "Very well. Could I please have a muffin?"

He smirked. "What kind?"

"Blueberry." And right beside her, sitting gorgeously on the table, was her muffin. She blushed. "Thank you, Sebastian." He merely smiled and poured her tea, amazing her that the stream could be kept within her cup at the height he poured it. "You have quite a talent for pouring tea. If you don't mind my asking, who was your previous master?"

He took a seat beside her at the head of the table once again, only this time he didn't bother pretending to eat a meal. "It's quite all right. First off, to avoid confusion, judging by your accent I'm assuming you originate from United Kingdom?" Kathryn nodded. "Then have you heard of or bought anything from the Funtom Company?"

Kathryn's jaw dropped. "No way- you _knew_ Ciel Phantomhive? Is that the kid who at only age ten took hold of the company and turned it into an even more thriving business?" Sebastian nodded.

"Yes, precisely. How do you know my old master?"

She stared into her teacup in fond memory. "I knew of his family since I turned six- I had bought a little stuffed rabbit from them which I had childishly named Guzzy."

He smirked. "Guzzy?"

She smiled. "Don't ask- I named him when I was barely able to speak properly. Anyways, I had actually met Ciel a long time ago- I had been in the cages until I was seventeen. I remember the boy so well. Rumor got out all the way to me that he managed to escape. I remember the pride and envy I felt for him... but now that you say that he was your old master..."

Sebastian didn't alter his expression but merely tensed his body, waiting for Kathryn's reaction. She looked out the window and sighed, watching a breeze roll over the trees, rustling their fresh leaves, the sun casting a yellow-gold glint over the fresh grass. "He's here now, which means you've swallowed his soul. I saw him once again, while I was out on those rocks. He had your contract symbol on his right eye- the symbol you have on your left hand. It was the burnt and torn apart body of a prepubescent boy."

Silence filled the room and he felt like an eternity had passed before Kathryn sighed. "How lovely. You also target children." Her sarcasm was rich.

He sighed. "Yes. I'm a demon, nothing near a saint. But to be fair, I did warn him not to make the contract with me- I do that with all the humans I decide to pass the time with." His tone was indifferent, but Kathryn could sense a little defensiveness.

She snorted. "As if that justifies it." She sighed and picked at the flowers engraved in her cup. But then she looked up at Sebastian, her heart racing in her chest quickly. But she managed to keep her courage. "Sebastian, are you trying to seduce me? Now please don't lie- I only want straight answers from you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

She deadpanned. "That's not an answer."

He sighed. "Yes, My Lady."

"Why?"

He leaned forward in his chair, and his eyes flashed that fuchsia hue, making Kathryn gasp and lean back. His eyes remained as they were and they glowed with Hell's eternal flame, all different colors dancing within his irises, blue and pink and red and white, all dancing with beauty, as well as danger, within him. Power emanated from his body, and though it was invisible, Kathryn could feel its hum in the air. "Do you really want me to answer truthfully?" Despite her fear, she kept her eyes on him and nodded. She noticed his voice had gotten much deeper, but had retained his English accent.

"Very well, then. I wanted to experience the joy that all the other humans had. I wanted to feel what I had seen so often for myself. And when I saw you, that feeling sparked alive. It wasn't lust I felt; neither for your body nor soul. It was this strange... I can't describe it, exactly. But I do know that it is genuine."

Was she wrong in her assumptions before? Her thoughts when they were dancing- were they her paranoia? No. It couldn't be. He couldn't possibly feel love. But then again... he did say he was telling the truth. "But what of my species? Humans age; demons live, well, forever! You wouldn't want me when I'm old and grey, would you?"

Sebastian smiled. But his eyes didn't change back. Rather, they stayed that same dangerous color. "But Kathryn, I would. My appearance can age, as a matter of fact. It merely limits what I can do as a human, but as a demon I will remain the same. And if you so wished it, I could very easily expand your life by many hundreds of years."

Kathryn's eyes bugged out of their sockets. "You can do such a thing?" He nodded sincerely. It was a partial truth, however: he could only "expand" her life if he was correct in his previous assumptions. She would still grow old, and she would indeed die. But what happened afterwards would determine his preciseness.

"This, and many more. But I have a question for you first," he cooed. In an instant, Kathryn was out of her chair and against a wall, back pressed flat up against it and her front pressed up against the demon. He grinned, but his teeth were irregular. Large canines, an inch thick, protruded from his mouth. There were only two, but they were terrifying. "Would you stay? Would you be mine?"

Kathryn had to crane her neck to meet his looming gaze. Those same terrifying eyes met hers. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see darkness emanating from him, all around him. The room had grown a bit darker. It also didn't help that the sun had already set.  
>He had two hands pressed against the wall next to her sides. There would be no escaping this. But then again- she was frozen in place. It would be impossible anyways. "Se-bas-tian... I... it's only been a few days..."<p>

"But your heart tells a different story. Tell me something, Love: Why is it your heart rate speeds up whenever it is I'm near? I highly doubt you're so afraid of me that it quickens its pace every glance I throw at you."

A bright red blush formed all over her face. "You could-?" He chuckled as a response.

"I see many things you can't. I can see every single individual strand of hair on your head, every molecule, and every bump on your skin. I can smell the blood coursing through your veins. And right now, I can even smell your _fear_." He growled that last part. "What an utterly... attractive smell that is on you." Her eyes widened even more. She tried her best to get back, but there was nothing but wall. All she did- all she could do- was look away.

Kathryn shivered as his warm breath fell upon her exposed neck. "Kathryn," he purred. "My dear, sweet Kathryn. You don't need to be unnecessarily afraid. After all, if I wanted to ask you to stay, I'd have had the common sense not to hurt you. While I am a demon, I know my manners." He kissed her there, sending chills down her spine as his lips burned a trail down her throat that led to the center of her chin.

"Then why do this?" She asked quietly, her voice so soft and small compared to his smooth, deep tone. Her hands were shaking and her knees threatened to give way.

"Because, as I've said before: the fear does smell attractive." And at that, he stepped away and grinned, but his teeth were normal again. He blinked, and his eyes became the same calm, collective eyes that she knew. But she seethed with anger.

Her blush darkened as her anger swelled. "Don't you _ever _do that again, you... you... you _cur_!"

Sebastian's eyes widened a bit in mock-shock. "My, what a colorful vocabulary Kathryn has..."

Kathryn growled in frustration. " Why didn't you just tell me? Yes, Sebastian, I do have those feelings for you. But asking me to do this after only two days is a little premature, don't you think? I mean, this is a very risky relationship you're talking about! What if your demonic urges take over? What if you try to kill me?"

Sebastian actually laughed very heartily at this. Kathryn raised her eyebrows at the sight- she was wondering if he were even capable of laughing at all. He held his sides as he did so and doubled over. He calmed down after a while, though he was still chuckling a bit afterwards. "I know you don't know much about demons, but you knew _this _little?"

"What do you mean?" asked Kathryn, perplexed.

He smiled and gestured for her to sit back down. "Allow me to tell you a bit about myself."

**To my first commenter: you will see. I have some neat plans for Kathryn XD**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"_It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper; so cry away_."- Charles Dickens

"There was a time I was not a demon. I was but a humbled angel, and the world around me was bright. However, a certain… _incident_ occurred which brought me to the Earth, in search of a lost _artifact_. As I looked about me, scanning the destruction of God's creations, I was filled with remorse and sadness; such extreme sadness that I had never previously felt before within the Veil of Human Eyes, where I resided in Heaven. Something within me snapped as I continued my attempts in doing good deeds. I believe it was after the _artifact_ was stolen from me that I began to trudge down such a dark path. And while I felt the sheer loss of the artifact, I also felt the overwhelming negative energy of the world.

"And then I found out what a soul tasted like. It was on one of the days I was exceptionally heartbroken with the way the world had turned out. An old man attempted to mug me as I walked along the street. So, from then on, a dark sort of trance swept its way over my mind, and I killed my first victim. It was then that I grew crazed by his blood and the powers such a soul had given me that I went on a rampage, killing hundreds upon hundreds.

"But after a while, I grew bored of the taste. Granted, I hungered for it, but it was more or less an appetite than anything. It was a hobby, and nothing more. So, I decided to go on with my next experiment- catastrophes. And so, I spread about a Bubonic Plague about the Byzantine Empire in the sixth century, then again in Europe in the fourteenth century, and once again in Asia in the nineteenth century. During the meantime, I would watch humans live out their lives, occasionally surfacing new burdens for them for my own personal entertainment. Time truly does fly when you're watching a sort of play. I've had my fair share of entertainment, I can tell you this much.

"In any case, after a few more hundred years, I decided to take up the role of making deals with humans. It was the one way to get to know them the best- to actually confront them face to face. And so, I roamed about, granting wishes to my select souls and occasionally bringing new burdens upon humankind. But then, I eventually grew tired of that as well.

"And then I returned to Hell after my latest contract with Ceil Phantomhive. And it was there that I met you. I understand that you'd be a bit miffed by the fact I find you attractive, but really, I don't exactly have 'demonic urges'. I have desires to do as I please, and I am a very selfish creature. I am possessive. I don't eat souls because I have to, I eat them because I _want_ to. My only wish is that you spend time with me to heal yourself before returning to the filthy world. See who I am. And, if you so desire, I will take you back."

Sebastian ended his tale and leaned back in his chair, observing Kathryn with cool eyes, waiting for her to react horribly and run out of the room. She sat there now, a look of disgust on her face and rage in her eyes. "You were responsible for three epidemics and hundreds of deaths." She said, her tone disbelieving and furious.

He only nodded, and didn't seem to feel any remorse. _Thousands, actually, but I'd better not broach that subject._ She glared. "And you expect me to stay with you after what you've done? You obviously don't regret anything. That- and you take me for some... some... some EXPERIMENT!" She threw up her hands in exasperation. "How could you ask such a thing of me? All I want is someone to love me as much as I love them, but I'm still not sure if you even _can_ feel that way. And what of God? If I were to take you as my suitor, what will be my fate in the end?"

Sebastian leaned forward and wiped a thumb over her cheeks, wiping her tears away. She gasped at the tender touch, but he didn't move away, and held her face in his hand. "Kathryn." He said, with sorrow and sincerity. "I do love you. You are not an experiment. And it is because I love you so that I would never allow such a terrible fate as you being forced out on those rocks. I would never corrupt you."

Kathryn was lost in thought. She truly did have feelings for Sebastian, very deep feelings. He had been kind to her, he had cared for her, and never once had he been cruel or harsh. And he was completely, utterly alluring. The black hair that fell about his face. The crimson eyes that glowed dangerously. The way he was so protective of her. And then, she decided. "I want you to prove it."

He glanced at her confusedly. "I beg your pardon?"

She narrowed her eyes. The mood became even more sober. "Sebastian, two days is not a long enough time for me to decide whether it would be a very good idea to court you. I need you to prove to me that you won't try anything- that you can actually be capable of good. And most importantly, that you won't hurt me."

He smiled, but it was a sad smile. "I can wait as long as you need me to, My Lady."

She returned the smile. The mood had finally been restored. "You certainly have to change my name quite a bit, Sebastian. Why not simply call me by my name, as I do you?"

He shrugged. "I'd always thought ladies liked it when you gave them an appropriate nickname. In your case, I continuously have to revise my impression of you, and thus your name has been evolving. This, and never once have I called any of my masters by their first names out of respect, so granted due to the fact I respect you, I wouldn't call you by your first name either."

She flushed. "Well... that's unnecessary. Please do just call me Kathryn."

He nodded. "Very well... Kathryn." He checked his watch and his eyes widened, and he immediately rose. "My word- I had gotten so lost in conversation that I hadn't realized the time! Please, Kathryn, go to bed!" Kathryn got up and he took her hand and almost dragged her down the hallway and towards her room.

"But wait... what of my clothes? I'll have to change first, which will take a while due to the corset." He turned to her and rubbed his chin.

"Hmm..." He hummed, looking her up and down.

"What are you- Gah!" She exclaimed as her clothes began to reform around her. A cloud of black mist surrounded her and soon, a white nightgown, the same one she had been changed into when they first met, was wrapped around her. She gazed at its purity, loving how it shined so silkily in the light emitted by Sebastian's candelabra.

Sebastian looked at Kathryn, the girl who seemed to glow in the night, attracting all the light in the room and reflecting it onto his own features. Without thinking, he pulled her closer to him, and she gasped at the motion, then blushed at the warmth spreading along her body, and the shiver that ran down her spine. She craned her slender neck and looked at him, and he looked into her simultaneously. Her brown eyes glimmered with the candlelight trapped within them. His wine red eyes had a depth unseen. He slowly reached a hand up her neck slowly, and he marveled at the reaction he gained from it, loving the way she shivered. He made his way up slowly, and finally reached her hair, where it had been pinned up into a French twist. He took the pin and released it, running that same hand slowly through her thick brown hair until it fell in a wavy cascade down her back and shoulders. Her blush had darkened.

"S-Se-" She whispered, but her voice was cut off by him raising a finger to her lips. Slowly, he bent down to reach her face, leaving her all the time in the world to pull away if it wasn't what she had wanted. But she didn't. Instead, she slowly shut her eyes and waited for him there, only inclining her head slightly due to how hesitant she was.

His long fingers wrapped around her midsection, and hers wrapped themselves around his neck, her right hand getting itself tangled in his long black hair. Finally, their lips met. Hers were soft and plump against his own, warm and inviting. His were surprisingly gentle, and he treated her with the utmost respect. He knew what he was taking from her, and knew that though he wanted to take it further and kiss her more passionately, this would have to do for the moment. He wanted her to enjoy her first kiss, and wouldn't take it too far.

Kathryn turned into slush on the inside, and her heart was beating frantically in her chest. Her whole body was warm, and that blush that was once on her had turned as dark as Sebastian's eyes, scorching her cheeks.

As they kissed, Sebastian could feel her very soul lingering just beyond her lips, and could sense everything about her. The heat of her body. The blood rushing through her veins. And he could even sense her heart beating frantically beside him. He had finally been able to do the thing he had wanted to do. What this kiss meant wasn't that she was willing to allow him to court her. It was that she shared the same feelings, and the caution she had, the guard that went up when she was near him, was slipping away. He wasn't sure what would happen in a month, but in two days, they had made quite a bit of progress.

Oh, the possibilities were endless. But, however, the kiss was not. And soon, she broke it off, panting a bit. He eyed her with a mixed expression- he had never been quite as happy and sad at the same time during the duration of the time he spent with anyone he had ever met. She smiled up at him, and he knew that something large had been altered. "Thank you, Sebastian. For everything tonight."

He regarded her softly, "If I couldn't do this much at least, what kind of a host would I be?"

She chuckled and gingerly backed up into her room. Kathryn looked down. "I suppose I should bid you goodnight. So... goodnight, Sebastian."

"Goodnight, Kathryn..." He said hesitantly, sadly.

That night, Kathryn had had a vicious nightmare. She couldn't remember all of it by the time she awoke in her night terror, but she did know it depicted her being gutted like a fish by a large mass of lower demons, clawing out her beating heart last and devouring it with their penetrating, rotating teeth and keeping eye contact with her all the while she bled to death. They looked into her eyes with joy and malice, and she soon slipped into darkness.

She screamed and shot out of bed, sweat coating her body and eyes whipping around the room to spot an invisible threat. She shrieked yet again when her door flew open and Sebastian burst through her doors, his own eyes whipping around the room to find out why she had cried out. But when he realized nothing was wrong, he immediately went to her side and held her back and hand, wiping away her tears and trying his best to calm her down.

She cried still while he held her, silently weeping and trying hard to look away. But he held her chin and kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest, resting his chin on her head as she shook violently. She sniffed and wiped her tears away, still shaking in his arms.

"What happened?" He asked softly. She wiped her eyes.

"I-I was on those rocks again, watching as my own body was being pulled apart. Th-Those e-eyes, Sebastian. Those eyes watched me so happily while I died and watched as they ate my heart..." Her words were jumbled and distorted due to her straining, but he got the message clearly enough.

They stayed that way for a good thirty minutes, him holding her while she cried into his chest. Eventually, she calmed down thanks to the rhythmic circles he rubbed into her back. She sighed a final time, her shaking finally having ceased and her heartbeat slightly more regular. He withdrew his arms from her again and turned away, unaware she had begun to shiver again as he did so. "Please go back to sleep- I'm here to protect you. There's no need to fear." But before he could move away, he felt someone tugging on the bottom of his suit. He turned around halfway and looked at her. She never did let go.

"Sebastian, could you please stay with me-" she paused and looked at her bed, still a bit damp from her night terror. "Actually, could I possibly... sleep... with... you?"

He almost laughed at the way it sounded, but kept a straight face due to her request, knowing what she had seen had definitely disturbed her. Instead, he focused on how honored he felt that she would ask such a thing and nodded. "Yes, of course. Come on, then." And he helped her up out of her bed and led her across the hall and into his own room.

Kathryn thanked him as he let go of her hand, and he slipped off the outer layer of his suit, leaving on the white shirt underneath. Then he proceeded to take off his shoes, all while she stared at him. He quirked an eyebrow. "Why are you staring at me?"

She blushed. "N-No, it's not like that! I mean, you certainly do look very handsome- wait, no! I mean, yes, you are, but I was staring because of another reason! That isn't what I was going to say, I was-!" She groaned, holding her head. He chuckled at her awkwardness and continued to unlace his shoes. "What I _meant_ to say was that I was confused as to why you weren't already prepared for bed."

"Ah," he said. "I don't sleep very often. Most nights I stay up and clean. It is possible, however, for me to do so."

" ...Oh." Sebastian finished preparing himself for bed and Kathryn came in first, on the right side. The bed itself was white underneath and had red cushions. The room itself was a warm tan-color. It was an exceptionally blank room, but felt cozy all the same. She sighed as she settled in, the sheets feeling cool and smooth against her, but also comfortably heavy. She felt a weight slowly being applied to the bed, and knew Sebastian himself was getting in beside her.

She blushed madly on the other side of the bed, hiding under the sheets even though it was pitch black. Moonlight lit the room, making everything glow peacefully. She soon felt herself nodding off into sleep, knowing that weight was next to her, knowing Sebastian was only a half second away from her made her calm, and soon she drifted off into a blissful sleep.

Because sleep was so rare for Sebastian, he had quite a bit of trouble in doing so. Instead, he waited next to her, holding as still as he could so that she wouldn't be restless, listening to the light breaths she took. Occasionally, she would pause, making him worried, but then she would start again.

After a few hours, when he realized drowsiness would never consume him, he slowly made his way closer to her, knowing if he moved slowly enough, she wouldn't notice. And she did not, not even when he was right beside her. Slowly, hesitantly, he snaked an arm around her and held her a bit closer. She sighed and nestled into his chest. His eyes widened and he had to suppress a happy laugh. She reminded him so much of an affectionate kitten, her smooth, soft hair and skin, her innocent, warm eyes, and the way she did everything so intelligently made him melt.

She started to lightly moan in her sleep, capturing his attention. He watched her jaw, set tightly and her lips pursed. She mumbled again, and he held her a bit tighter, petting her head and running his hand through her hair slowly. Finally, she seemed to calm down, and he sighed with relief, a small smile touching his lips. Yes, she was just like a little kitten. His kitten.

How had he ended up in such a predicament? He supposed it was the one thing he realized he had been lacking all this time- what he had seen all the other humans do. Love. To feel something. And the moment he spotted her, he felt something entirely different.

_The contract had only recently been completed. As Sebastian flew over to locate the soul he had taken to Hell, he caught the scent of something unusual. Blood. Rich, powerful, delicious blood. His wings pumped harder than ever before, hoping to locate where the smell had come from. Blood didn't belong in Hell. It was a mortal thing, which only led to one indisputable fact; there was a mortal in Hell._

_And there he found her. Thick, long brunette hair whipped crazily in the wind, fire reflecting off her, making her brown hair gold and her skin, which would ordinarily be pale as cream, seem golden as well. She looked like a sun all her own, her vibrancy so different to the swarm of Lesser demons surrounding her, their darkness like the empty void of space around her brilliance._

_Her golden eyes caught sight of him and widened in fear. He kept his fiery gaze locked with hers. He could see her soul. Innocent, though clad in the darkness and sorrow of unfortunate circumstances. Beauty, through the rotten trials. And in this instance, he knew something was different. Something had to change. Something was about to change his life. _

He thought back to her words earlier, how she expected him to prove himself to her. Of course he would. He had handled the brat being stingy to him for three years, and he could handle being on his best behavior with the woman he loved for the rest of hers.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"_Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast_."- Lewis Carroll

Kathryn awoke before she opened her eyes and didn't alter her facial expression when she became acutely aware that there was a large, warm body protectively wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and looked at an asleep Sebastian, who held her with his chest pressed up against her, and his arms wrapped securely around her middle. She could see a little of his chest poking through one of the unbuttoned sections of his white shirt, exposing a little peep-hole like area for her to see a little down his shirt and into his incredibly toned chest, where a six-pack lay just behind her back. She suppressed a squeal and bit her lip, turning red.

And then she looked back up at his face, and looked at how relaxed he seemed to be. His breathing was even, warming a small spot on her neck, making her shiver. She stared at him for a while, his flawless complexion captivating her. His face was smooth, and housed no imperfections. Thick lashes curled around his eyes, concealing the dark, wine-red irises. His hair was a bit messy, making him look like a hot mess. She had to mentally admit, he was a stunning man. She wondered if she could ever look as beautiful and fair as he- surely she was very flawed and unattractive. Why had he decided he wanted her? Surely, he could have gone for a more beautiful woman.

She continued looking him over, trying to see any hint of danger about his expression. But she couldn't. All she could see was a beautiful man, lying next to her in a beautiful bed in a beautiful room in a beautiful mansion. She smiled at his expression. Yes, he looked very peaceful when he slept, something she thought was adorable.

But she had to suppress a shriek when his red eyes snapped open and looked at her amusedly. She tried to get out of the bed, but he held her where she was, and she sighed and looked back up at him in slight annoyance. "Good morning," he said with a snicker. His grip was like a cage- unbreakable, yet not restraining. His strength truly did amaze her at times.

A fierce blush spread across her cheeks and she groaned. "Good morning," she replied. She clutched his chest, burying her face in his shirt. He smiled and pulled her up so that she was looking down at him on the bed. She sighed. "Oh... do you always have to be so blasted tall?!"

He raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with my height?"

"I know you say you'd never hurt me, but it's just that anyone I feel that could hurt me easily makes me nervous. It isn't your fault, though- more or less my old master's." He lowered his eyebrows and shut his eyes sympathetically, almost in pain due to what she said.

A long silence stretched between them before he opened his eyes, which had changed to their fiery state, this time holding anger. Kathryn's own eyes widened at him and her heart sped up. But he didn't do anything to her. Instead, he seemed angry at something else. "Kathryn?" he asked frighteningly evenly.

"Yes?" She asked him.

"Remind me, when I take you to the human realm, to kill the man who did this to you."

She shook her head violently and looked at him seriously. "Sebastian, I would never want you to kill someone, even if they hurt me as much as he did, they don't deserve to die."

He looked at her coldly. "Fine, don't remind me then. I will remember to do so myself. Kathryn, men who abuse their women deserve whatever comes next in doing so. And his price is me. He will not just simply get away with laying a hand on you, My Lady." She looked away.

"That's murder."

"Yes." He said, as if it meant nothing to him, which in reality it probably didn't.

"Sebastian... please don't." She looked at him seriously, innocently, and above all, she looked at him with fear in her eyes. And when he saw that look, that little tear sprouting from the corner of her eye, he instantly stopped. He sighed.

"You make me so weak when you look at me like that..." He smiled at her, and the look went away. But he never did give her his word.

He decided to try a little joke out on her. He smiled mischievously and yawned, then proceeded to roll over on top of her and snored. She squeaked and giggled, trying her hardest to lift him off. "Aw, Sebastian! You can't be serious!" She giggled more furiously, and he actually began to laugh in between his false snores.

He picked himself up after a few seconds, the two succumbing to a fit of laughter. He had two hands out beside her head, his legs straddling her hips. Normally, Kathryn would have blushed at the position, but she knew he wouldn't take anything farther than this. But then Sebastian saw the way she looked underneath him, with her golden-brown hair splayed out over her pillow, wavy and gorgeous, a little pink blush on her face. One of the straps of her nightgown had fallen over her shoulder, exposing the soft skin underneath. She looked up at him with a little smile, noticing the way he was regarding her and in her own cute little way, inviting him to kiss her as he did the other night.

And he obliged, lowering himself a little and placing a quick, two-second kiss on her pink lips and smiling. She smiled back shyly, and he decided that it was probably a good time to get up. And so, he did just that and helped her up, her blush still evident on her face. "Now then, let's get you downstairs to breakfa-" he stopped abruptly when he heard a noise at the other side of the hall, a creaking, scuffling sound coming from Kathryn's room. He whipped around to face her, his expression utterly serious, breaking the mood. "Stay here, Kathryn. There is something in my house."

Her eyes widened. "B-But Sebastian-"

"No!" He exclaimed harshly, giving her a look. She looked wounded, and he softened his tone, but never altered his expression. "Kathryn, you will stay here where it is safe, and I will be back shortly. Please do not leave the room!" And just like that, in movement faster than lightning, the door had closed and she was alone in his room.

Kathryn stood frozen where she was, unsure of what to do. Unlike what she was certain the stereotypical person would do in such a situation, she actually decided to listen to Sebastian, trusting that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. And so she waited on his bed, clutching the sheets tightly and staring at the door. There was a candelabra next to her. It wasn't much, but it could be used as a blunt object should the worst come.

Five minutes passed. It felt like time had gone much slower.

Ten minutes passed. Kathryn began pacing.

Twelve minutes passed. "Oh, to Hell with it!" She exclaimed, grabbing the candelabra and heading toward the door. She realized the irony of what she had said and winced, then continued out the door. "Damn you, Sebastian, if you're in danger..." Her voice trailed off and the actual brevity of the situation dawned on her. She reached out slowly for the door, unaware of what the scene might look like as soon as it swung open. Was she really ready to face the creatures from her nightmares?

Sebastian nimbly darted into the room, his form already demonic by appearance. A dark aura leaked off his shoulders and back, and his fangs had grown to their full length, nearly an inch each. His eyes had previously been altered, giving off their dancing fuchsia flames and dark pupils slit to nearly a paper-thin appearance. Overall, he looked terrifying even if he appeared seventy-five percent human.

And once he came into Kathryn's room, he was greeted by the sight of four of the repulsive lesser demons, each having done sizeable damage to his love's room- her bed had been torn to shreds and flipped over, her closet had been destroyed along with all the dresses he had so carefully conjured, and even the floor and walls bore sizeable slashes all over them. He grinned maliciously. "Are you here for my human?"

Eight glaring eyes fixed themselves on him, though he didn't budge in the least. "Where is she?" Asked one, its ugly voice distorted and high-pitched.

He chuckled. "Oh, in my room, directly across the hall. I suppose it was indeed fortunate that she suffered from that night terror. Now I want you to answer me one question before I make you squeal like pigs," he said darkly. "Why did you dare barge into my domain? You knew that you would only die. Why take the risk? Filthy lower-levels."

"We saw you with the girl. Word has already spread that you have taken her, and there aren't many chances down here to have some fresh blood. Why do you get to hog it all?" The largest one answered, its teeth gnashing in its grey mouth.

"Because I am more powerful than you. Lower-levels have to learn their places, I suppose. You won't be granted your places when you do finally regenerate. Breaking into an Upper-rank's territory is a big no-no. You're going to join those humans you betrayed and suffer just like the rest of them."

His eyes widened to their full extent, and he let out a vicious, low, terrifying snarl. His body became darker, composed of black aura. His skin became more greyish and his whole expression became one that would make the bravest man in the world shit himself. His humanity had slipped away, and he had become his true self.

The only sound that resonated from the four demons was the whimper the first one managed to let out before its entire body was slashed open, its crimson blood staining the floor and splattering the walls.

It took him a good ten minutes to finish with the last demon- it had been quite hard to defeat due to its height. In the end, he reverted back to his human body and stared out at the damage he had made to everything in the room. He sighed in relief because his chores were done. A small gasp rose from the doorway, and he turned around reluctantly to meet the eyes of Kathryn, her face twisted in horror and petrification.

"Kathryn, I-" He began, raising one blood-stained hand out to stop her. She turned slightly green at the sight and bolted out of the room and into his bathroom, where she retched whatever was left of her dinner last night, tears falling into the toilet as well. She rose shakily and rinsed her mouth out, spitting into the sink. She felt lighter, making her shake even more convulsively. What she had just seen would be etched into her mind permanently. She would never forget his hand which had been covered in blood, the nails still having flesh and skin underneath them. There were no corpses. Only bloody pulp. From where she stood in the doorway, she saw a dismembered head, where it looked out blankly across the room, its eyes dull but its own cold chill leaking out into the atmosphere.

What had been more frightening? The demons from her dreams, or the demons she had seen in that room... all five of them?

Sebastian stepped from the room and stood in the doorway where Kathryn had witnessed the entire scene, and snapped his fingers, transforming the room to the way it had been before. He sighed and massaged his temples. Every option he had been presented didn't have a right answer. He could have either let Kathryn get torn apart by the demons, something he would never in his lifetime _ever_ let happen, allowed her to follow him into unknown danger, or told her to stay safely there, like he had done. She had defied him and placed herself in that situation. He growled at human incompetence. What good could it have possibly done her to come and see?

Why _had_ she come? It was extremely foolish, and if she were completely incompetent she would have followed only moments after. So why had she waited those thirteen minutes?

Regardless, he walked slowly into his own room, where he found her curled up in a corner, head burrowed in her knees and sobbing. It hurt him to see her in such a state, but also angered him further that she hadn't listened to him. "Kathryn," he said quietly. "What were you thinking?"

She was breathing heavily, hiccupping occasionally. "I just thought that since you took so long something had happened to you... I was so worried, Sebastian. But then I found the room the way it was, and- look! You're still coated in blood!" He flinched. It was one thing he had forgotten to take care of.

He instantly changed his attire, wrenching the blood from the cotton and his skin, making him look fresh once again. "There," he said, brushing off imaginary dust from his clothes, a habit he had unnecessarily gotten into. "Is that better? Please, Kathryn. You really don't need to worry about me- I am more than capable of handling myself."

She sighed and ran a hand over her forehead. "I can see that." He smiled and walked over, sliding down the wall and sitting next to her, his long legs stretched out across the floor and back leaned against the wall. He leaned on her, resting the side of his head on her. She held his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Sebastian, I'm sorry. I should have listened. But after all that time and you didn't come back, I really did get worried..."

He stared vacantly at the room. "You should trust me." She just nodded and shut her eyes. He could feel the chill of her hand in his- they felt like ice. He reached over and took her other hand in his, observing how small and slender her fingers were in his own. Sebastian's hands started to grow a bit more warm, something that felt good on Kathryn. She looked at him confusedly. He smiled. "I couldn't just let your hands go numb."

She laughed. "I can never get used to your powers. Just how many _do_ you have?"

He looked up, as if lost in thought. "I'm not entirely sure there really is a number. But I do know my own abilities. You'll get used to them in time- they make life far less of a hassle."

She nodded, thinking back to the luxurious bath she had taken. She remembered the days she had to work as a slave. It would take hours on end to lug bucket after treacherous bucket of ice cold water from the nearby well into the tub, where she would bathe in the freezing water, with no soap or shampoo to use to make her baths any more cleansing. Afterwards, her master would strike her, claiming she hadn't washed well enough due to the fact she smelled of wet dog. She visibly shuddered at the memory. "Do I really deserve all of this?" She asked him, making Sebastian thoroughly confused.

"What do you mean?

"Everything. The luxury and terror. What's made me so different from anyone else that I've had such a different life? I've travelled to a realm no live human has ever gone. I've found love in a _very _unexpected place. I've withstood years in the cages, then more years in slavery underneath my old master. Just what is it that makes me so different?"

"You really want to know?" He raised an eyebrow. She nodded once, meeting his eyes. He blinked. "Very well. What sets you apart from all the others is your will and innocence. Most humans when they reach your age become broken and settle down. But you seem to have an almost childlike wonder about you- never losing your intuition and faith. Perhaps that is what truly sets you aside from all the others, and why I came to love you in the first place. This, and, well..." He grinned seductively at her, "You're very beautiful."

She smiled at him. "You know, I never kissed anyone before besides my parents when I was very young. Sebastian, you know how shy I can be, right?" He nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. She was indeed very bashful. "Well... would it be all right with you if maybe I could just try...?"

He actually chuckled at the question. "Yes, of course. I find it adorable that you asked me in the first place- it's always all right if it's what you want." She looked at him timidly and leaned up, pecking his cheek. He looked down at her and arched an eyebrow. She didn't meet his gaze, however, and buried her face in her hands.

"It's only my second kiss, so don't expect me to be quite so outgoing the first few times..." Her muffled voice came from her hands.

He picked her up bridal style in an instant, and she gasped at the sudden change in altitude. But he merely gave her a polite smile. "Well then, Kathryn, I do believe it's time to start our day."

"Why again do you want to play this game with me?" Kathryn frowned as they stood in an area of woods surrounding the mansion. Luckily, the place was secluded, and a different part of the Underworld, so they were still far away from the majority of it. The place was actually peaceful, though she knew it wouldn't stay that way.

"Ah, I thought it would be a good sport. Hunting is a luxury I haven't enjoyed for a while, and I'm afraid I'm growing a bit rusty."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, because that's possible. I also find it offensive that you would decide to hunt _me._"

"But of course! You are, after all, something to strive for." Her pout turned into a blush, and she averted her gaze.

Kathryn sighed. "All right. Give me a good ten minutes to find a place. And I'll be mentally keeping track, so you'd better not cheat!"

Sebastian smirked hungrily and flashed a fang. Apparently, he was going to use a few of those powers they had discussed earlier. He chuckled lightly and turned around. "Whenever you're ready. I'll know when you start."

She growled and took a deep breath, heart fluttering in her breast. Finally, she took off as fast as she could, making a beeline for the woods.

'_Now, where should I hide? Trees are nice, and they are good places, but if I'm spotted, I'll have nowhere to go… not that it would matter anyways, as he would outrun me. All I can do is get as far as I can, then climb as a last resort._

And so, she dated through the woods, watching as the foliage grew thicker and thicker. Leaves crunched under her feet as her gown, which was light and without a corset, swished around her. With all the noise, the beating of her heart included, he would have no problem in finding her. She flashed back to their discussion before playing this miserable game.

_"I remember playing with the neighborhood children before the incident. We had all sorts of fun games to play when our home lives bored us."_

_"I'm sorry you want to take a break from playing instruments and studying, but you desire to play a game with me? Whatever happened to chess? Oh, never mind that, I understand."_

_"…_If_ it isn't too much trouble. I just can't think of anything I would have a chance of winning at."_

_"What about a game that you could always win?"_

_"Eh?"_

_"In Hide-and-Seek, the one seeking always wins. That is, of course, unless the seeker admits forfeit. But I highly doubt you would submit, would you? Yes, always the dominant one~"_

_"Hmph! How rude! If you're going to behave like that, I won't play with you and we can just sit in boredom!"_

_"I don't mind, it gives me a chance to look at you, all flustered. I think it's adorable when you look so angry: you look very adorable right now, actually."_

_"… Hide-and-Seek it is."_

_"Shall we toss a coin to see who shall be 'it', Kathryn?"_

Kathryn frowned at the memory. He had gotten her so flustered that she couldn't think properly. Well, she would show him her talent. She would win this game, by any means necessary!

Her ten minutes were running low. She kept that in mind as she made her way through the forest, pausing occasionally to look around her for a good hiding spot. And so far, the trees were the only thing she could think of.

However, she wouldn't resort to the trees. No; she would keep going, hopefully finding a place just before Sebastian got to her.

Well, she found that precise place. A thick and leafy bush caught her eye, one that rested adjacently to a thick oak tree. There was a deep crevice between the two plants, and it was there she would hide: in a literal hole in the ground. It was better than climbing a tree.

The time was well over ten minutes. She sat patiently in her place, waiting to be found. When he didn't arrive within another ten minutes, she got antsy. What if he had lost her; what if she couldn't find her way back?

Kathryn shook those thoughts off. No, he would find her. It would just be a question of 'when'.

Just as she was beginning to lose patience, her heart began to thump madly in her chest as she felt a familiar presence. It was located a little ways off, but she felt like he was drawing closer to her.

Her heart beat sped up as loud footsteps sounded in the distance, drawing closer. The forest was concealed in a heavy layer of fog, however, through the leaves of the bush, she could clearly make out two shiny black shoes, moving with impeccable dexterity.

Sebastian was humming to himself as he made his way through the forest before he paused. She heard him sniff the air before chuckling quietly. "Hm. I wonder where my dear little Kathryn has run off. Should I call out to her? Should I admit defeat? Ah, I do wonder if I'll ever find her…"

_He found me. He's just toying with me now._

But surprisingly, his footsteps padded away, and she again lost his presence. It didn't fool her at first, as she knew him for his mockery. But after a few minutes of waiting in that hole in the ground between the bush and tree, she started to get antsy. Why had he stopped and talked to himself if he wasn't going to show his face any time soon?

She didn't notice the pair of glowing red eyes that carefully scrutinized her, standing directly behind her in that hole, nor the strong arms that rested just to the side of her.

After a few minutes, she sighed lightly through her nose and decided to lean back on the other side of the hole to wait. However, she froze as her body came in contact with something that most definitely didn't feel like dirt or roots. It was hard, yes, but it was also warm, and was lined in fabric. She had moved herself straight into his chest.

She turned around slowly and shrieked as a sudden movement of arms wrapped themselves around her, twirling her so that her back was now to his side of the hole, and all she could see were his red eyes and darkness: nothing more.

Kathryn could just see the smirk on his face, the delight in knowing that he had both caught her and surprised her all the same. "You were quite difficult to track, my sweet Kathryn. It took me a while."

"Not that long, apparently. It took you a while to show yourself, as you were most likely staring at me for the majority of the time I thought you were gone."

He chuckled and leaned in, pressing his lips to the side of her neck, making shivers run down her spine. He worked his way up, lingering very closely by her ear. So closely, she could feel his lips brushing up against it. "I'll always find you, no matter how long it takes," he said in a low, seductive voice. He nibbled her earlobe making her let out a quiet whimper of pure joy as more delightful shivers ran down her back.

He grinned and kissed her on the lips, embracing her as he did so, holding her up so that she was standing on his feet. "Now find me."

Sebastian then vanished.

Kathryn blinked for several moments, trying to figure out precisely what had just transpired. He had just kissed her- _very hotly,_ as she recalled, touching her lips- and then told her to find him? Where had his logic gone? Had she not been very good?

No, that wasn't the case. He obviously had something up his sleeve.

And so, she crawled out of the hole and looked around her. _How does one find a demon? I suspect he's very good at the game, due to how fast he found me. But what if I were incapable?_ Shaking those thoughts aside, she looked to the trees. _He could be on the other side of the mansion right now, and I wouldn't even know it._

Wandering around for a while, she noticed something. While he had been in her presence, she could always _feel_ him there, an aura. It was the queerest thing in the world, but it was also the most useful. After roughly fifteen minutes of wandering aimlessly, she began to feel it. The presence was like a warm breeze drifting through the air and caressing her. It made her heart burn and throb even harder.

_Have I gone mad? What precisely is this?_ She wondered, turning another direction. But the presence was weaker there. She felt as if she were playing a game of hot and cold. Kathryn turned back and looked around her carefully, examining the flora around her. The trees were the least likely place he would hide; she didn't peg him to be one to crawl up there for safety. So what did she peg him for, when it came to hide and seek? What hiding place matched his personality perfectly?

And then she spotted it. A large boulder that jutted up from the earth, nearly fifteen feet high. The very top of it was concealed by the trees, but faintly, very faintly, Kathryn could see the very tip of a black shoe.

Grinning madly, she circumnavigated the boulder, frowning immediately when she found that there were very small grips carved into its side. She would have to climb. Remembering the wound on her stomach, she clutched there. _Does he expect me to climb all the way up there in the state I'm in? _However, she paused when Sebastian's curious face peeked over the top. He gave her a wicked grin. "Very clever of you. And here I had underestimated you."

Kathryn huffed and leaned against the boulder. "Wasn't very hard to find you as I could literally sense your presence."

Sebastian's expression changed. He seemed shocked. "You could what?"

She raised an eyebrow and looked up to meet his crimson orbs. "I thought you already knew. You did the same thing with me, right?"

"Yes, but I can do that with anyone I choose to find. I didn't think a human possessed the ability to sense me…" he was hesitant. But, recalling what he had previously deduced, he smirked back down at her. "Yes, no human does have the ability to sense my aura," he murmured quietly to himself.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kathryn asked worriedly. "What did I do?"

"Oh, it's nothing; nothing at all. May I help you up?" Kathryn cocked her head.

"Why? I found you, didn't I? You should come down here."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're so clueless sometimes…," he muttered.

"Hey!" Kathryn cried, offended. He smirked at her, jumping down from his perch and swooping down to pick her up, making her squeal with the sudden movement.

He gave her his trademark smirk. "You really need to start trusting me. Such a fussy guest you are," Sebastian kissed her on her nose. Before she could even retaliate with a less than intelligent remark, he had leapt on top of the boulder, exposing both of them to warm sunlight. Kathryn gasped at the sight; she didn't think it was possible for something like that to exist in the Underworld.

He seemed to have read her thoughts. Setting her down gently, he stepped forward, staring directly into the sunlight, which was dim enough to observe. "A most wonderful illusion, don't you think?"

She bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"I made that happen, Kathryn, just as I made my mansion and all the woods you see. They're all part of the illusion I created down here. Of course, the sunset isn't really there: sunlight doesn't exist down here. It's one of the things my species is granted; we can create illusions spanning as far as our imaginations go. It's false power, but regardless, it's… pleasant."

Kathryn walked up beside him and eyed him carefully. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, his crimson eyes glazed over as the fiery sun reflected off him, giving him a certain glow. _I wonder if it's even possible for him to ever redeem himself_, Kathryn thought, watching him in silence. _I still don't know if I can trust him. The affection he gives me is nice, but I also know what he is. I truly do wonder… what was it that really made him change into what he is? What could possibly turn a fallen angel into a demon? Why would an angel fall in the first place?_

She intended to get her answers. She intended, while she had the opportunity, to get to know the demon that had become so infatuated with her.

"Sebastian? Perhaps a real sunset would be much nicer to gaze upon. Nothing's wrong with the illusion, but if that is simply what it is, I prefer not to enjoy it. The true image is far more beautiful."

He sensed the double-entendre. Raising a dark eyebrow, he turned to her. "Would you say the same for me, in my demonic form, as compared to this? I rather prefer the form I assumed as a butler."

_But that isn't really you,_ Kathryn thought to say. But she bit her tongue and instead smiled at him. "I don't find it more beautiful in the literal sense, Sebastian. You can alter that sun in a thousand different ways, and make it a million times more exuberant than the one you see on Earth. The difference is, while the truth might be uglier, it's beautiful to know that what you gaze upon is genuine, and not a replica or a lie."

He crossed his arms. "So… you prefer if I turn into a demon?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "That isn't what you really look like."

Sebastian dropped his arms and stared at her in awe and shock. "Keep talking," he encouraged.

"You were originally an angel, which means that you were originally beautiful. You created your demonic form to appear dark and terrifying enough to match your personality, and to terrify your victims into submission. This is most likely right as you are taking their souls, or residing in Hell. However, in order to appear appealing, you use your original appearance to lure in the lost souls you take. Am I wrong in my assumptions?"

Sebastian chuckled and turned back to the false sunset. "I pride myself on the fact I appear dark and terrifying before my victims, so they know precisely what they were getting into. But you are right on that fact… I actually was originally beautiful. I haven't used that form in a long time, however, though I choose this one, which is admittedly slightly similar to my good form."

He gave her a long look, watching her carefully as she did him. "I underestimated you greatly," Sebastian said after a long pause. "You're quite brilliant."

Coming from him, it was definitely a nice compliment, and Kathryn gave him a smile. "Thank you. Though one day, I would like to see what you really look like." Sebastian gave her a weary sort of smile and turned away, wrapping his arms around her limply. She nestled into his chest. "And perhaps a real sunset?"

He disentangled himself and looked dejected. "You… wish to leave me?"

Kathryn smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "No, I would like your company."

**Hey guys! Just wanted to say that this isn't a story meant to have much of a plot. It's more or less just what happened after Sebastian made his contract with Ciel, the events that happened after that. It's just about a nice romance that begins to change Sebastian. PLEASE don't hate me because it's not exactly what you would call "action packed", ok? Also... really love the reviews you guys are giving me! You guys are super supportive! And I love how you guys are wondering how she's had ties with Sebastian! This will be revealed soon, I promise! For now, keep wondering and stay tuned for the next update! **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"_For, verily, great love springs from great knowledge of the beloved object, and if you little know it, you will be able to love it only a little or not at all_." - Leonardo da Vinci

They stood in a dark bathroom, with only a candle as their light, casting an eerie glow in every place. In all honesty, Kathryn was rather frightened with the atmosphere. It was time that Sebastian created the Requiem Aeternam, which meant "Portal" in Latin. Sebastian said that he had preferred if she called it a Requiem Aeternam, simply because it seemed more appropriate, though he mused that it was irrelevant. But, Kathryn wanted to be proper when she spoke.

Sebastian turned to her, his eyes already glowing. "All right, Kathryn, exiting Hell is going to be a bit tricky for you. With me, I can slip in and out with ease, but with humans travelling dimensions, there can be expected complications. You will have to repeat my words in order to successfully make your way back. Coming in Hell is the easy part with everyone here. Without a demon, it is impossible to exit Hell. It's imperative that you listen to me carefully and repeat everything I say." Kathryn nodded. He gave her hand a little squeeze. "Oh- and in order for this to work, I will have to drop any part of myself that is human and use my true form. It's just a forewarning. Please don't be afraid. Tell me when you're ready, and I will transform and we can begin."

Her heart beat madly in her chest, and she was vaguely aware Sebastian could hear it. His true form had been the thing she was most afraid of seeing, and this added information only made her more nervous. He heard her heart beat alternation and gave her a reassuring smile. She took a deep breath and smiled gratefully back. "All right. I'm ready. Let's do this." Her voice was calm and even, though she was very nervous.

He nodded, and his features began to alter. Kathryn instinctively looked away and into the mirror, trying to avoid looking at all costs; grateful that the mirror was clouded over. A black, clawed arm extended into her field of vision, and she stared at that arm out of the corner of her eye, noticing the way the flames of blackness seemed to emanate from it. Only the gleam of reflected candle light exposed the thick nails that grew from his hand, pitch-black and shimmering. She gulped and noticed that the hand that once held her had morphed as well, and she was indeed holding that clawed hand.

"Ego praecipio vobis in mulieribus, et aperta apud dominum tuum," (I command ye portal, open for thy master.) said an almost unrecognizable voice. Kathryn knew it was Sebastian, but it was as if the only piece of him were the slight English accent. The rest was deep and smooth, far deeper than humanly possible. And quite honestly, she began to shake.

The mirror clouded over, and its whole surface changed completely. Scarlet smoke whirled in a torrent within the wall, it seemed, and it was all absolutely mesmerizing. The demon next to her cleared his throat. "Now Kathryn, what I am going to ask you to say in Latin is: I, Kathryn Dubois, promise to keep and uphold the secrecy of each realm I step into. I will not reveal their secrets, nor do I intend any ill will. I stand here with Sebastian Michaelis, entrusting him to be my guide and instructor, and will follow his advice when it strictly includes the travel of dimensions. Can you handle this?" She nodded slowly, still not looking at him.

The demon sighed and grabbed her shoulders, gently turning her to face him. And what Kathryn saw... was surprisingly not as bad as she had assumed.

What she thought she would see was one of the Lesser Demons, with a big gaping mouth of rotating teeth and eyes that held nothing but hatred and hunger. But she instead saw something shockingly similar to Sebastian himself; but in a way, he looked... beautiful. She realized then that she had been correct. In truth, she had been half-expecting something ugly like the demons she had seen before being taken to his manor.

And it was true. His hands were actually more greyish in color, and the rest of his skin was the same pigmentation. The black aura seeping out of him covered his actual skin tone. His wings were black feathered, and looked quite honestly like a raven.

Sebastian seemed to have grown a bit taller, though not by much. His fiery demon-eyes were fully vibrant now, lighting up the room even more so than the candle already was. Long fangs, and not only two this time, could be seen when he spoke, though they didn't seem to affect his articulation.

Kathryn supposed she let show her shock and confusion, because he gave her a small smile. "I was once an angel, after all. You were correct before with my true form. What- you were expecting something like a Lesser Demon?"

Her eyes widened. She still couldn't get used to Sebastian's voice. "Er... not to be rude, but... kind of?"

He chuckled. "Well... I can understand. But honestly, if demons (the ones that travel to the Human Realm, anyways) didn't retain at least a partial bit of their old angelic appearance, would we really be quite so alluring? It's what makes us so venomous, our deception. The lesser demons were never once angels; simply a handful of the most rotten humans that were taken up to torture their peers."

Kathryn bit her lip. "Well, that's... great..." It was a crack at sarcasm. He rolled his eyes.

"Anyways, repeat after me..."

So soon as she finished the last syllable, the portal took on a more violet hue, and a mixture of crimson and violet mixed together beautifully. Sebastian gave her an approving nod. "Very good. Now then, Kathryn," he said, picking her up bridal style, "Here we go." And with that, he jumped straight through the mirror.

When Kathryn opened her eyes once again, they were standing in the middle of a large demonic symbol composed of salt, with three other humans sitting cross-legged in a circle around them, each wearing dark robes. They were all facing downwards, their hands on the ground, murmuring a kind of chant in Latin.

Sebastian set her down gently as to not make any noise. She gave him a confused look. He put a finger to his lips, with an expression that said, "I will explain later". Finally, he crossed his arms. Kathryn's eyes widened when she realized he was still in his demonic form. She wondered what he was planning.

The three humans looked up. The one Sebastian was standing in front of, the smallest one, gasped and fell back, crawling away from the circle and staring at him in utter panic. A gasp ran through the three.

The smallest one seemed to be a small boy, no older than eight years old. The two sitting on the other end were both males as well, and each had beards, though in the lighting it would be hard to determine.

One of the elders spoke. "It's all right- the demon can't leave the salt. You're safe- we're safe. This means we own him now, and he'll have to give us the information," he seemed to say in self-reassurance. Sebastian smirked and uncrossed his arms, a bad sign.

"Oh... you mean this salt right here? The salt you so carefully laid out to make the symbol?" He licked his thumb and pressed it down on the ground, taking off some of it. The three gasped. Sebastian licked it off his fingers and rubbed his chin. "Hm... obviously, I'm all right. Perhaps you weren't quite as safe as you'd assumed. Foolish humans, thinking a little salt could possibly deter a demon." He swept his foot across the symbol, scattering the white particles all over the floor.

The little one screamed and scrambled to his feet, sprinting towards the door, the other two close behind, cursing on the way. And soon, the room was vacant. Sebastian sighed, stepping out from the now broken symbol, Kathryn doing the same. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised they didn't wet themselves."

He chuckled. "It would have made an unsightly mess- something I wouldn't want you to bear. At least we stumbled across a mediocre summoning rather than one with human sacrifices."

Kathryn narrowed her eyes and walked over to a window, peering out at the moon. "So why a summoning circle?"

He shrugged. "It's where we generally land whenever we decide to transport into the human realm. If there isn't one, we simply wind up in some random location, or if a depraved human is praying for one of us to arrive."

Kathryn nodded. "Ah. There's quite a bit I don't know about demons, then."

He chuckled lightly. "You don't know the half of it." Sebastian turned back to his human form and walked to her as she kept her eyes on the stars just outside the window. The two were in an unfamiliar church, a regretful place to perform such a ritual. He wrapped his arms around her midsection and pressed his back up against her, resting his chin on her head. She giggled lightly, turning up to kiss his cheek.

"You're so different from what I had originally expected, Sebastian. In all honesty, on the very first day I came to your manor, I thought 'This is it. This is the end'. But then you went ahead and shattered my first impression of you. You've never once yelled at me, or struck me, or ever even been cross with me. Thank you for that."

He hummed a low note, his chest vibrating her back. "I could never do that to you." They stayed like this against the chill of the night before Sebastian broke the silence. "Where are we going to sleep, Kathryn?"

" ...Oh. Well, maybe there's a nearby inn we could try. You _do_ have money, right?"

Sebastian nodded. "As soon as we find out where we are, I can conjure the correct currency. The three who just left- their accents were English. I hope we're in the right place."

Kathryn yawned. "Yeah- I agree. Honestly, the trip really did a number on me. How far away do you think the nearest stop is?"

She was suddenly in his arms, held as he would hold a bride. Sebastian gave her a bright smile, with just a hint of mockery. "Distance won't be a problem; I'll carry you, My Dear!" He declared, setting out. Kathryn placed her thumb and forefinger on the ridge of her nose, groaning.

Just as soon as they crossed over the rich farmlands and grass and saw buildings, much to Kathryn's protesting and Sebastian's annoyance, she was set down so that they could walk without embarrassment. They passed by many shops and people taking late night walks under the stars.

Finally, they reached their destination, which was a three-story inn decorated in the front with a few neutral plants and white pavement to compliment a white building. The place was plain, but it would have to do. Sebastian opened the door for Kathryn, who immediately grimaced at the sight of a rather drunk man having a nice nap at the front counter. Painful memories flashed back into her mind of her old master, of whom was always constantly inebriated. Under intoxication, his beatings were far more cruel and frequent. When he was sober, he was a cruel old man, who constantly criticized her and made her feel small.

But nonetheless, she tried to shake the man awake: they needed a room, and she needed sleep. "Um, excuse me?" She asked. The man snorted and rubbed his eyes, casting her a glare. "We'd like a room."

Sebastian came up behind her. The man looked from her to Sebastian, before his big fat mouth opened wide and he laughed loudly, his four remaining, yellowed teeth bared and grotesque. "Of course 'ye would! Y'er one of them rich folks I reckon, coming in here ready to give poor ol' me Hell. What'cha in here for- to buy out this whole place?"

Sebastian and Kathryn shared a glance. "No... we came here strictly for business, sir. I apologize for your own unfortunate events, but we only want a room. There are other inns we can stay in, if that's what you'd prefer." It was surprisingly Kathryn who answered, much to Sebastian's amusement. He always liked to see her backbone.

The man chuckled. "Nah, this'll be just fine. Just pay me the average sum 'n go. Y'er room 'l be up the stairs, three doors on the left." Sebastian nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out currency he had most likely only just conjured. They both nodded to the innkeeper, who promptly took another swig of beer and fell asleep, just after muttering, "Damned rich people."

Sebastian shut the door behind him. The room was small and mediocre, with only one bed. He shrugged and proceeded to take off his cloak. "I suppose this will have to do. It's not much different from before. I suppose we do look rather similar to a married couple. It's an easy mistake."

Kathryn chuckled. "Or one made on purpose. I saw you order a single-bedded room, Sebastian. You talked to him for a little while after I left. This isn't the third door on the left. It's the third door on the right."

Sebastian sighed and kissed her forehead. "Yes, well, maybe I still want you to be protected."

Kathryn looked up to him, her bright golden brown eyes shining. "I've managed on my own just fine before, Sebastian. But, if you insist, I suppose we can sleep together one last night. But when we depart, we have to act properly. We aren't married yet, Love."

His crimson eyes widened at the nickname, and he smiled happily. "Love? Now I'm your Love?" Kathryn giggled, and he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bed, pinning her arms down by her head gently and kissing her softly, the way only a gentleman did.

Kathryn had begun to grow quite accustomed to kissing. She hadn't had such an experience before, and it was the most incredible thing she had ever felt. Warm lips. A heartbeat. Soft, long black hair and beautiful sparkling eyes. The taste of roses and ginger, and even a little wine (or what she assumed wine tasted like). It was all so surreal for her, whenever they did so. But it was the happiest she had ever been whenever the opportunity graced her lips.

For Sebastian, it was a different experience entirely. Whenever he kissed her, he felt everything about her; and not only her exterior. He could feel her very soul whenever it was that she touched him. It was the purest, most interesting thing he had ever glimpsed. Although through a kiss was the only way to claim a soul, he would never try to do anything of the sort, as he had promised her. Though it was undoubtedly tempting. Through every cell, every fiber of her being, coursed a pure energy almost as powerful as his impurity.

For an instant, he did think about taking a small portion of her. Just as an experiment, to see just how powerful it could make him. The way a demon takes a soul is simple; through their own means, they corrupt the souls they take and convert them into an energy, an energy which they feed off of for the rest of their almost eternal lives.

Sebastian had never kissed a woman he didn't take the soul from immediately after. It was, in its own way, his first kiss. And it only made him all the more hungry. Though Ciel's energy had been converted into his own, he wanted Kathryn's far more now that they had been doing this for so long.

But he didn't, because he wanted to prove not only to Kathryn but to himself, that he could control his own actions. And so, he settled for only glimpsing the advanced power behind those plump lips of hers. But there was something off with her this time. This time, Kathryn was...

He pulled away and climbed out of bed, eyes diverted, head spinning. Kathryn looked at him worriedly. He clutched his head.

It felt like a torrent of emotions were rushing through him all at once. But one thing was certain: He. Was. Angry.

When his eyes snapped open, glowing brightly and resonating with Hellfire, his fangs grew out and a low growl rumbled in his throat. Kathryn clutched the bed sheets tighter and tried to flee, but was held captive by a clawed hand. Her eyes met his, and she could see pain coursing through them- pain and fury; two things she never wanted to see in him. It meant that most likely- someone was going to die.

"What are you-" But he only covered her mouth with his hand, his jaw set and pupils dilated and thin.

"What were you really afraid of meeting in the human world?"

**CLIFF-HANGER'S GALORE! Don't worry, I plan on uploading the next chapter very shortly. I apologize for the delay, but I was hesitant to post this one because I had a hard time with this chapter. Thank you for the reviews! **


	7. Chapter 7

**BINGE UPDATE TIME! Yes, my dear viewers, I have deprived you of your stories for far too long. So, here are quite a few chapters. Enjoy!**

Chapter 7

_"You know the value of every article of merchandise, but if you don't know the value of your own soul, it's all foolishness" -_Rumi

Kathryn hummed as she worked in scrubbing the dishes for her master, a little tear forming in the corner of her eye as she worked frantically at the stain on the plate. Her master would be home soon, and if he saw his house in such an un-stately position, he would beat her senselessly. Finally, the stain came off, and she sighed with great relief. Her voice sparked alive and she sang beautifully, her voice innocent and accurate. It had been a treasure of hers; the gift of music she had been given. While he was away on his frequent business trips, she had taught herself how to play with most of his instruments.

A large, meaty hand rubbed her shoulder, and she shuddered. "M-Master, I didn't expect you home so soon. Please forgive m-"

She was pulled to face him, and the portly man laughed. There was a crazed glint in his eye as he kept his big, fat hand on her shoulder, a hand that caused the marks about her face and stomach. "I want you to come with me," said the man, dragging poor Kathryn against her will down a small hallway that led to a dirty room, musky with the odor of alcohol which had seeped through her master's pores in his sleep, coating the bed with a foul stench.

"Wh-What do you want to-"

He clamped his grubby hand over her mouth. "I," he chortled, casting the stench of alcohol in warm puffs over her face, "Want you."

Her eyes widened. "N-No! No!"

He glared at her, his face going red with his anger. "Did you just deny your master?" He growled, smacking her across the face. Kathryn stumbled back and hit the wall, where her face bore three new scratches from her master's unkempt fingernails.

But Kathryn wouldn't give up. "Stay away from me," she growled back just as ferociously, her eyes betraying the steadiness of her voice. Her master ignored these features, however, and lurched forward, grabbing her arms and pinning her up brutishly against the wall, where she would most likely bruise due to her delicate skin.

He kissed her neck, his beard tickling her skin. He bit her, sinking his yellowing teeth where he had kissed roughly a moment ago. Kathryn yelped and screamed, kicking out madly, hitting him in the unmentionables.

Her master's eyes burned now as he kneeled on the floor. But then he rose sharply, grabbing a poker from the fireplace. Kathryn's eyes widened. This was a new level for her master. She wondered if she would die then and there.

And despite her best efforts, the poker tore into her skin and ripped her stomach open, giving her many bruises, scars, and in the end, was brought down about her head, knocking her to the floor, where she began to bleed profusely.

Her master stood over her unconscious form, and in his drunken and ignorant state, spat upon her chest. "Stupid wench," he muttered. He checked his watch. From then he came to the phone, where he made a drunken call to his cultish connections, where he had come to acquire the girl.

"She's too much of a hassle. I'll give her back along with a couple hundred if you could get her off my hands... Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Perfect. Yes, thank you." And he hung up.

Kathryn began to cry under Sebastian's angry gaze. He softened and let her go, but remained in front of her. He took a handkerchief from his suit and dabbed her eyes for her. She looked up at him with a bit of surprise. "I... may have been a bit harsh." He admitted. "But," he began again, looking at her seriously, "What haven't you told me?"

She sniffled and turned away. "Sebastian... how am I alive?"

He frowned. "I haven't the faintest clue. You somehow came into Hell with your own body, a feat I've never seen conquered before. But back to the point- what haven't you told me, Kathryn? Why were you really afraid of coming back?"

She looked sharply away, which exposed her neck but diverted her view. Sebastian had to clench his hands to keep from biting down on her, and stared at her open neck. Kathryn didn't know of his struggle, however, and kept looking away. "I didn't want to come back because of my old master. I lied, and I'm very sorry, Sebastian. I am afraid of coming back. I'm afraid of... of _him._ Because I didn't tell you what he did to me. He was even more terrifying than the cult. He did... things to me. And just before I was beaten unconscious and taken back to the cult, he was about to go through with something awful..." she trailed off and shut her eyes, her voice uneven and tears still falling down her pale cheeks.

Sebastian didn't mean to. He really, genuinely, truly did not mean to lose his temper. But after hearing this, it was exactly what he did. A large, deep, loud growl rose from his throat, this time the most menacing Kathryn had heard come out of him. Quickly, he stood away from her, diverting his eyes and clenching his hands, which had already turned into claws. Little droplets of crimson blood fell from where he clenched his hands so tightly.

Black wisps of darkness began whipping out from his cloak, and his eyes glowed a bright shade of crimson flame. "I'm going to kill them," he said, his voice dark. "I'm going to kill all of them."

Kathryn did something surprising right then. Rather than stay far away like usual, she rose slowly and carefully and walked towards where Sebastian stood, seething in place, his dark aura rolling off him in waves. He snapped his gaze to her, his red, flame-filled eyes glowing brightly under the moonlight. He stared at her with an unreadable expression, and she stared back at him likewise, drawing closer.

Finally, she was at his side, where he could easily lash out and kill her. She sensed the danger, but knew none of it would come to her. And so, she hesitantly reached out her hand and grabbed his, holding it so that the blood flow would stop. His eyes widened as she did this, holding his hand close to her face and kissing the back of it. He calmed down immediately after snapping back to reality and looked away in shame. She came to stand in front of him bravely.

Finally, he turned to her. She kept her cool gaze on him. "You promised me you wouldn't."

"I did no such thing," he spoke truthfully. But Kathryn disregarded this.

"Sebastian, if you are to be the man I may one day marry, you will have to change. Meaning, you can't let your temper rule over you, and you can't have any vengeance in your heart. It is a dark path to go down, this path of anger and resentment. It only ends in tragedy. I'm certain you know this well."

Sebastian sighed, and his eyes cooled down to their normal wine-red. In the moonlight shining through the window, two lovers stood side by side, kept warm by their embrace. "Yes," he admitted finally, after some pause, "Yes, My Lady."

They stayed like this for a while. Sebastian's hand had healed already, but the blood remained on both his and Kathryn's hands. He stared at her and the way she seemed to be lost in a world all her own, calm and serene in this beautiful night. "How could I have ever done this to you?" He asked himself out loud, and Kathryn snapped back to reality, looking him in the face.

"You didn't do anything to me. The only reason I approached you was because I knew you wouldn't ever harm me. You have control, but you let yourself get carried away."

"I didn't when I had my Young Master," he said nostalgically, remembering his soul, "I was tamed, and very seldom was I able to make moves of my own. Since my own freedom, I've grown impulsive. Dangerously so. Can you really trust me, Kathryn? This... demon that I am?"

Kathryn gave him a small smile. "Well, despite what you'd think, you're far better than any human I've come to know for the past twelve years. You haven't hit me yet, and you've been nothing but kind to me. In all honesty, despite your true form, you don't seem quite as demonic as I'd imagined."

He frowned. "But that's just me now. It's the impression I've made on _you_. I've done so many, many terrible things, Kathryn. Things I was either forced to do or did on my own. I was a genuinely evil, manipulative, treacherous creature. I had turned away from the light so that all I could see was darkness for millions of years. Who's to say you won't be drawn down with me should I fall back- or worse: what if I lost control and killed you? Kathryn, that thought_ scares me. _I am genuinely afraid of losing you. Why do you think I've been so protective of you? Why do you think even things that can't harm you anymore make me angrier than I've been in a long, long time?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed his lips gently. He returned the kiss, of course, and did so equally lightly. She smiled and leaned back, standing on her tip-toes to get a better look at him, though he still stood far taller than her. "You're already changing so much, Sebastian. I'm not worried. You have better control of yourself than you'd think- you didn't try anything, even at my most vulnerable."

She couldn't ignore the sudden explosion of pain in her head, but after shutting her eyes for a brief moment, she refocused on reality.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, thinking back on all the times she had indeed been very... enticing. "Yes, I suppose you're right. In all honesty, it is rather hard to hold myself together, knowing I don't exactly have any obligations whatsoever." Kathryn didn't notice it at first, but the mood had changed _significantly._

She beamed up at him. "See?"

He leaned in closer. Too close. "Having nothing at all to hold me back."

A little bead of sweat began to form on Kathryn's head. "Er... yes, I suppose..." He grinned maliciously and leaned in even farther.

His lips were inches from her neck now. "And to know that you'd be utterly powerless to stop me should I decide that I was hungry enough..." Sebastian purred, holding her even tighter.

Kathryn began to shake. "A-Ah, S-S-Seb-bas-t-tian, p-p-please d-don't..."

He paused and lingered very near her neck, his teeth most likely sharpened and exposed. "Don't you trust me, though? I thought you said you had your utter faith in me."

Kathryn's heart plummeted. "I-I do, but this makes me uncomfortable, so please do stop..."

Sebastian immediately backed away from her neck, but held her arms still. He leaned down to look her directly in the eyes. His tone had gotten serious, something that intimidated her. "A word of advice, Kathryn: you really shouldn't trust a demon. Even me. I told you I loved you, but demons are known for deceiving. The entire month we spent together could very well have been a lie from the very beginning. Think back. You trusted me far too easily, and thought that I would be just another harmless gentleman. Can I ask you why it is you, someone who had her utter faith in God, would trust someone like me as easily as you had?"

She tried to get out of his grip, but he held her steadily, like an iron cage. "I don't know- you were just... different."

He cocked his head. "Oh? Different? As in- I was trustworthy? Kathryn Dubois, you are a very, very lucky girl in the fact that I haven't killed you yet. But think about this- ponder this thoroughly: have you been too naïve? Was I lying the entire time? Are you naught but a little recreational game to me? And most importantly: Do you truly have faith in God?"

Kathryn gasped and struggled even farther. But he did not give in a single inch to her- his entire body seemed to be made out of an unyielding metal. He narrowed his eyes at her. She wasn't so sure about her trust in him. "You claimed to have fallen in love with me. How could one who worships Him fall for a demon? How could someone be naïve enough to trust a demon's word? Do you even think the gates of paradise could ever open for you now that you've done this?"

Her eyes widened and she stared at the demon in horror. He didn't even bother smiling this time, but he regarded her disapprovingly. She couldn't find the words to speak; shock and horror were the only things she could experience. Sebastian turned away from her momentarily, letting her go. The curtains allowing the moonlight into the room shut all by themselves, without either one of them budging to close them. The candelabra, the only light source in the room, blew themselves out. And in the darkness, the demon turned back to the woman standing stunned just a few feet away from him. "I thought you could change," she breathed. "I thought, since there was good in you…"

He grinned now, his pearly white fangs barely visible in the light of Hellfire glowing from his spectacular and dangerous scarlet eyes; the only light in the room. "It was a game all along, My Dear," he cooed, and a certain chill enveloped Kathryn's body. "Your previous assumptions were very correct. This month was a chess game for me. The black pieces are the demons and sinners. The white are the angels and saints. You, through your own naïveté, are a sinner now. And finally, _finally,_ that wonderfully pure, kind soul of yours has some _darkness._"

Kathryn's voice was barely above a whisper. "This is who you truly are."

Sebastian chuckled. "Yes. As it turns out, I happen to love a good game. Oh, teasing you with promises of a long and happy life living in the human realm; false anger towards the sinners who wronged you; every single gesture of love and kindness- it's all too amusing in the end to watch as your whole life crashes and burns! Ah, how I miss lying so much. You know, I wasn't able to lie to my old master. It's truly like riding a bicycle; you never forget how to lie."

Tears were running down her cheeks, and her heart was broken in two. "Can't you let me go?"

But he only laughed at her misery and fear. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she was thrown to the ground and held there by an invisible force. He continued laughing, his dreadful voice echoing throughout the darkened room. Her throat was constricted, and her muscles were tense under the blanket of invisible force on her.

The last thing she saw before her world faded away was Sebastian's eyes, mocking and sadistic.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
>"<em>Living is a sickness to which sleep provides relief every sixteen hours. It's a palliative. The remedy is death<em>." - Nicolas Chamfort

_There was a light in my life once. There was a time when all I could see was the Kingdom of Heaven, stretching farther distances than even I could travel. I remember a beautiful young angel who held my hand and sang to me every night before I went to sleep, and played her beautiful music with me, a tune so melodious and beautiful that all the other angels came to see. It was our own skill- music of the angels. We were both such excellent players._

_But one day, my angel had gone missing. I was sad; depressed, more like it. The music I composed felt hollow and empty, almost foreign to a land known for its eternal happiness. A long time had passed by, and I asked around to find out why my Love had left me. I shouldn't have let my emotions get to me, but she was my partner. My soul mate. And I truly did love her. It was a time during which I was naïve and innocent, unaware of any pain whatsoever. I basked in righteousness: ignorant bliss._

_"To the Earth," an angel said. "She fell to the earth to serve as humanity's protector."_

_"Earth?" I asked them. "The new realm?"_

_"Yes," they said. "The realm just between Heaven and Hell- the other new realm."_

_I cocked my head. "Can't they see us, then, if Heaven is on Earth?"_

_They smiled. "No more than we can see them right now, due to the fact we choose not to enter that plane. Humans can't move from the dimensions- I hear they're really weak and vulnerable."_

_Therefore, I resolved to follow her, and fell to earth to become a guardian angel. In the very least, I wanted to explore this new realm._

_But I saw all the death and poverty, all the anguish and torture. My eyes widened at all these... unhappy faces. I was completely unused to a world like this. It was all very eye opening for me. I realized that I had ben ignorant of what true pain was. Therefore, I set to work immediately, working to heal the humans and make them happy._

_But there were so many of them. So many desperate souls that I couldn't bear to help. And I still couldn't find my Love._

_A long time passed, and I began to wonder what it was like for the sinners, who inflicted pain. They seemed so happy when they crushed one another, and it seemed to relieve their own burdens. '_Well...' _I thought, '_I could just try it out.'

_And I did. But I went too far. I killed an old beggar, a man who had nothing more to offer society. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about- what would it feel like to enjoy sin? But I was wracked with incredible guilt. Not because of the act in itself, but because I enjoyed the thrill so very, very much._

_It was after I committed the heinous act that my wings turned a different shade- black as the darkest void in space. My hair turned the same shade, and my eyes, which used to be a pale blue, turned crimson. Immediately, after noticing my wings, I turned to a pond, where I gaped at my new reflection, and wept._

_"My, what have we here?" Asked a familiar voice. I turned to the fallen angel who looked so much like me. I glared and turned away._

_"Leave," I said, my voice laced with pain and regret._

_The fallen angel chuckled. "Well, it seems He cast you out. It appears He wouldn't want an impure murderer to return back to his perfect land."_

_A tear rolled down my cheek. "I-I'm a monster."_

_He gave me a toothy grin. "Are you denying it?"_

_I turned back to him. "What do you mean?"_

_" Are you denying how it made you feel? Indulging in sin felt good- the best thing you've felt since you came to Earth following your missing loved one. But you didn't think the Earth could be so big, did you? You didn't even know what pain felt like. And now the only joy you can feel- the only joy you know- is in making the creatures that bound you to this wretched plane suffer just like you."_

_I shivered. "B-But I don't want them to suffer..."_

_He growled sharply, cutting me off. "Oh really? You don't want them to suffer? Then why did you kill that old man? Even if it was for an experiment, you know already the kind of pain a death brings the humans surrounding it. Doesn't it feel good- knowing you're getting your revenge?"_

_I didn't respond. I wasn't even articulate enough to find the words to do so. He stretched out his hand. "Come," he said, "Take a walk with me. What's to lose any more? He sure isn't going to wait for you."_

_I cannot describe in words how much that walk changed my life. I had lived in utter darkness, and my soul had been tainted with sadism and anger. I never forgot my angelic love, whom I still had yet to find. Whether I searched Heaven, Hell, or Earth, it was my dream to see her again. I still to this day do not know why she fell._

_Yes, she fell to look upon humans, to see what it would be like to be one. Knowing her, she didn't want me to feel any pain in knowing she was going to leave. She must have thought it would hurt less. Not a day passed by that I didn't think of her. She was the most beautiful creature to have ever graced the Earth._

_And then, I found her. There was no mistaking that beautiful soul. She had been trapped in her own dark cell for all these years. I do not know what happened to her memory. I do not know why she would have chosen to live life as a human, or why she chose to become reincarnated after every time her human form passed on._

_None of the other demons knew what she was. But there would be no mistaking that incredible soul- Kathryn was my angel. She was, and still is today, the only thing that I would rise for. Thankfully, all the years of being a demon gave me experience in the field of restraint. Her blood... oh, her blood... it is the most incredible thing I've ever smelt. Her soul is the brightest I've ever encountered. Even as a human, she walks as an angel, shedding light and happiness wherever her trail leads._

_She doesn't know yet what she was. I suppose it's all for the better. But once she reawakens, I do wonder if she will forgive me. I wonder if she would ever love me for becoming what I am. As a human, Kathryn claims she does. But as an angel, she was perfect. Would someone so perfect fall for someone like me: a wolf in sheep's clothing?_

"Kathryn?" Sebastian asked gently, caressing her head. Her internal temperature had risen, and her scent had changed, and the pungent odor of fear hung in the air. She had been asleep ever since she had told him that she trusted him. It could very well indicate she rejected the travel between the dimensions, making her ill.

It was an illness that would pass, but hallucinations would linger about her consciousness for a while until the effects wore off, as well as light headedness, causing her to faint. Sebastian assumed that this was one of them. But at the moment, he needed her to wake up.

"Dear?" He asked, a bit more loudly, shaking her shoulders and gently, _very gently,_ smacking the side of her cheek. She stirred, much to his relief, and rolled over to the side of the bed. Her face went pale, and her breaths became rapid.

"Bucket. Now."

They were the only words that she could manage to force out. Sebastian leapt out of bed and travelled with a speed a human couldn't possibly muster all the way downstairs, where he stole an old and rusty bucket, then made his way all the way back up and into the room, handing it to her. He diverted his gaze, as he could sense she would have wanted him to.

The sound of retching filled his ears, making him cringe. He chose not to breathe in this select moment, as there was no need. Kathryn shook, her hands clasping the bucket tightly. Sebastian took it from her and made his way through the building- far away- and deposited the revolting pail next to a nearby lake.

Inside, Kathryn's eyes fluttered open and shut, and her head swam with dizziness. But all she could think about, all she knew was her dream. The very reality of it sunk in deep into her heart, and the pain she felt was unbearable. Her hair was matted to her head, her brow slick with sweat. Her whole body was damp and hot, but she shivered regardless.

Her throat was parched, but she knew she would be incapable of drinking anything. Tears continued falling down the side of her face as she lay on her back, eyes shut and her body aching. Sebastian returned to this and cringed at the sight.

"Poor Dear," he said, coming to her side and taking her hand. She coughed, quickly moving her head to the side and putting the crook of her arm over her mouth. Even in this state, she tried desperately to be the Lady she always acted like.

He slowly shifted his arms under her and picked her up, holding her to his chest. She shivered convulsively, and her head rocked back and forth. He placed his hand against her brow and his eyes widened. The fever was bad. Very bad.

He looked back and forth frantically. There was only one thing to do in this situation, something he knew Kathryn wouldn't like. But if the fever persisted, she would lose vital enzymes her body needed. Therefore, he turned to look her in the face.

"Kathryn," he said calmly. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, and she took in the sight of him, still unsure of as to whether her dream had been real or a hallucination. "We're going to go for a little swim."

Her eyes opened all the way, and she started making a little noise, trying with all her might to tell him no. He looked at her sorrowfully. "I'm sorry- you can't remain in this state; I must do this for you."

She made her noises louder, but didn't even have the strength to form words any more. And the next thing she knew, they were at the boundary of a lake in the middle of November, when the water was almost ready to freeze over. Sebastian, taking one last pitying look at her, dove in with her still in his arms.

If she wasn't awake before, she certainly was now. Ice-cold water clutched her with clammy hands, and her lungs burned with no oxygen to let in. Sebastian was holding her under, warm as always, and seemed to be completely unaffected by the conditions. The only thing she make out through the water was his dark figure and bright eyes, watching her with an unreadable expression. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he resurfaced, and Kathryn let in large gasps of air, which stung her throat and burned her lungs. The air was almost as crisp as the water.

Slowly, Sebastian waded out of the water. A man with his son ran up to him, his brow furrowed and his son clinging to his tailcoat. "What the bloody Hell were you doing, young man?" He asked, clearly concerned for the lady he was holding.

Sebastian turned to the concerned civilian. He let out a little puff of annoyance. "Saving her life," was all he said, turning away and vanishing almost as quickly as he had arrived, making both the man and his son blink in surprise.

Her clothes were damp. As soon as they returned to the inn, Sebastian sat her down upon an old rocking chair. He ripped a piece of black cloth from his coat easily, almost as if it were paper, and wrapped the cloth about his head.

"What are you," she shuddered from the cold, "doing?" Her teeth were grit.

"I know I've been imposing ever since you've woken up, and I do apologize for the dip in the lake as well as what I'm about to do, but time is of the essence. Not only can I not allow you to burn up, I can't very well let you freeze. If you keep the clothes you're wearing on, you'll catch pneumonia. If this combines with the aftermath of the Portal-Sickness, you could very well die."

Her head rolled back, and she groaned in understanding. "I-I can..." her eyelids fluttered shut, and she shivered again.

Sebastian made a noise of understanding. "I thought not," he muttered, and proceeded to undress Kathryn.

She was afraid every movement of his hand would guide him to an unwanted area, but surprisingly he worked nimbly, almost as if he wasn't blinded at the moment. Once her clothes had been stripped off, Sebastian went to the bathroom and handed her a towel, which he heated with his hands. She worked slowly over her body, and handed it to him when she was done. Kathryn began shivering once again, but her fever had gone far down.

He dressed her in another nightgown and sighed, slipping off his blindfold. She sneezed and turned away. He gave her an almost sad smile. "Well... good morning, Dear," he said.

Kathryn groaned. "No. No, it isn't a good morning, not in the slightest." Her voice was hoarse and her hair was wet and splayed out all around her, a darker shade of brown due to the fact it changed color once damp. Sebastian grabbed yet another towel and bound her hair up within its softness, keeping her damp hair from her shoulders. "Thank you. I had a... very bad dream last night, Sebastian."

He nodded. "I know. You were tossing and turning quite a bit. I thought about waking you up, but it seemed to be a better idea to let you rest first. Might I ask what you dreamt of?"

She nodded. "Yes. But I can guarantee you will not like the answer." And so, Kathryn indulged him in her tale, remarking often that the dream was as surreal as if he were to take such actions at the moment. Sebastian gave her his full attention, never once interrupting, and seemed to be in deep thought. When she finished, her heart ached with sadness. "The worst part is... you were right. I don't mean to offend, but I truly do love both you and God. How would it be possible to love both? And furthermore, would you ever simply use me as a guinea pig? I suppose I may be taking the dream a bit seriously, but Sebastian, with you being as you are, I'll never be certain as to whether or not you're being truthful."

A hurt look crossed his eyes, and his eyes changed to their fiery state. "I give you my word; I love you, Kathryn Dubois. But if you truly feel that way..." his gaze turned down. "I want you to go to Heaven, where you belong. You'll find a human who'll make you fall in love again. My fate is clear; my path is already chosen. But you," he began, kneeling by her and stroking her cheek, his eyes sincere and perhaps a bit cloudy, "You have so much left. The possibilities are endless. If you want to be set free of me, if you think this is for the best, I will never stand in your way."

She grasped his hand firm in hers, and stared into his eyes. Yet another moment passed. "You're genuinely in love with me," she mused, her eyelids dropping. Sebastian nodded.

"If I had a way to prove it to you any further, I would have done so. I know what I am must make you a bit hesitant to say the least, but know that you'll remain safe with me."

Kathryn nodded and shut her eyes completely. "Then I will stay with you until you prove me wrong. Now, I need to rest- the fever may have been reduced but I still feel its effects. You can have the day to yourself- go exploring the town if you wish, and find out where we are."

Sebastian bowed and picked her up, placing her on the bed and bringing the covers over her. "I will check on you every three hours, My Lady. I will request room service to bring you breakfast in an hour. Please try to get some shut-eye." This was the last thing he said before leaving the room, and a still very pale Kathryn behind.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

_"Courtesy is a silver lining around the dark clouds of civilization; it is the best part of refinement and in many ways, an art of heroic beauty in the vast gallery of man's cruelty and baseness." -Bryant H. McGill_

_My master was always such a cruel man._

"What do you think you're doing?" asked a portly man with a scraggly beard and ice-blue, piercing eyes. Kathryn shuddered as she walked towards him, setting down the tea tray. Her hands shook and her fingers were bloodied and bruised.

"Getting your tea, Master," she said, placing a cup on a small white plate and pouring a sweet-smelling, steaming brown liquid into the cup.

The man leaned on his hands and observed her, his icy eyes staring all over her body. "No you're not," he stated simply, observing her as she continued to work, barely able to get the tea into the cup due to how much her blistered hands shook.

She kept quiet and continued pouring, not wanting yet another beating. She had learnt to keep quiet. Her master frowned at her silence. "Aren't you going to ask me why?"

She nodded, setting the tea in front of him, avoiding eye contact at all costs. She had learnt not to look him in the eye. "Why?"

"Because," he drawled, a venomous grin curling his chapped lips, "You can't pour tea to save your life. It's more like rather than 'getting' my tea, you're barely able not to spill it all over the place."

Kathryn bit back a smart remark and merely nodded. The words "I'll do my best," crossed her chapped lips, and seemed to make the fat man smirk.

He grabbed her hand as she set the tea before him and smacked the back of it. She looked up to look him just below his eye, tears gathering within her own. He chuckled. "Just a little motivation for next time. My servants will be graceful. In time, you'll learn to be." And with this, he poured the piping hot liquid over her already ruined hands.

She was barely able to suppress a cry of absolute pain as her hands suffered vicious burns. "Now clean it up."

_A very cruel man. I still fear him to this day. But I was glad to be in his presence. The abuse I suffered was far less than the cult that kidnapped me. While I was their prisoner, they would drain my blood and pour it into cups all around the large symbol engraved in black ink on the floor, a symbol which surrounded the barrier.___

__I still don't quite understand how exactly I ended up in Hell, or why Sebastian was able to find me. Or even why a demon hadn't previously shown up to extract my soul. There are still so many mysteries.__

__Another mystery involved why exactly he was so different. I do believe that he loves me, but I'd often wondered why he was so hasty with his decision. An immortal being, a demon no less, who lived as long as he did tormenting the members of my race would certainly never truly love me. And yet, he did. I wonder why.__

__Wait... what is this? This isn't a memory!__

Kathryn lay stark naked on a hard ground. It was invisible, almost. She could make out nothing but darkness around her, simple darkness. But light shone on her body, and her body alone, though it didn't come from any direction in particular. And then, through the veil of darkness came Sebastian, who walked towards her lying body. Kathryn knew who he was, although he looked entirely different.

His hair was silvery white, and his eyes were a bright, innocent blue. He was garbed in a white coat, and held a white sword strapped to his side. "My Lady!" He exclaimed, falling to his knees beside her and lifting her head. She gazed clear into those bright blue eyes of his, eyes that were almost even lighter than the sky itself.

He gave her an innocent grin. "Wow, when He said I would be getting a soul mate, I didn't expect you to be so beautiful!"

Kathryn cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

The angel chuckled, though it wasn't dark like all the other times. It was almost as if he were genuinely happy. What had happened to him? It couldn't have been possible… this angel looked so much like the Sebastian she knew, yet entirely different at the same time. "Well, God saw how Adam was so happy with getting Eve and decided to make pairs for all the angels in heaven. You're really, really beautiful! What's your name? Do you even have one? Oh my, pardon my enthusiasm, but I've been excited ever since the moment He said I would be getting a soul mate. Oh, we have all of eternity to get to know each other..."

Kathryn giggled. "I don't have a name. But, since it seems you've been around for so much longer than me, why don't you give me a name?"

He thought for a moment. "Ah... maybe Julia? Rebekah? Delilah?" Kathryn only smiled at him and waited, enjoying laying in his lap. He snapped his fingers, and a large and happy grin spread across his face. "I've got it! From now on, you'll be Bethany. That's a pretty name, don't you think?"

She giggled once again, and grabbed his hand. "I don't care who I am, as long as I'm with you..."

Kathryn jolted out of bed, a gasp escaping her lips. She looked outside and shook her head back and forth, hoping to clear whatever was ailing her. "What in the world was that?" She mumbled to herself, falling back into her feverish slumber. 

Sebastian walked about the streets of London, unsure of what to do with himself while his angel was in her feverish state. There was nothing really to do, so long as he was alone. He sighed. It was just like before; without Kathryn, he really had no purpose. Now that he had her, he wanted to spend every waking moment with her. But there was no way.

As he pondered what to do, a little brown tabby caught his eye. He immediately whirled around and ran towards it, a bright blush spreading across his cheeks. "So adorable," he crooned, picking up the little kitten. Its fur was kempt and pristine, its soft paws delicate to the touch. He picked her up and sat across a building, stroking her fur and squeezing around her nails, so that he claws would extend. "Oh, you're absolutely perfect!" He sighed, rubbing his cheek on the kitten's. It began to purr in his lap.

People passing by gave him strange looks, but he otherwise ignored them. If they knew what he truly was, a strange look would be more than they would give him. After so many years, Sebastian had learned to ignore the dumb animals. All that mattered was what his angel thought now. All that mattered was that she was safe.

"After all these years, you still have that same affinity towards cats," muttered a familiar voice. A little boy no older than nine years old was standing in front of him, a hood dragged over his face, concealing his eyes.

Sebastian immediately let the feline go and rose from his position, giving the boy all his attention. He knew just precisely who he was really talking to. "But of course."

The boy grinned, and long fangs glinted from his upturned lips. "How pathetic. You've always been a softie for the innocent, even though you've slaughtered millions of them."

Sebastian growled deep within his throat. "Well, that was my past. Decorated with sin and mistakes, as expected of a demon." He was completely accepting and nonchalant about it. The boy's smirk vanished.

"You're weak. Do you even really love her? Do you really think she could love you back, human or not? She's an angel in disguise, and you're nothing but a lowly demon, a fallen angel tainted in darkness."

He crossed his arms. "I've already decided to rise. Give my manor to the next demon who falls- maybe they won't have to go through all the trouble of building it up from scratch. Oh, and as far as my darkness, well- I haven't made a wrong move as of yet. Don't expect me to return."

The boy laughed, a squealing, roiling laugh that echoed with insanity. The people crowding the streets inched away from the two. "Oh, that's just hilarious! Fine then, follow after love. See where it gets you. When she wakes up and breaks your heart, don't come crying back to me! If you ever return, the best thing I could ever offer you would be to rot in Hell, right there with all those frivolous humans you killed- you'll rot in there with your old masters! And don't forget this, Sebastian," he giggled, "In the end, when I take control of this wretched planet, there'll be no place left for you to go but there. Even if you rise, God won't ever accept you back. Not after what you've done. So, enjoy your time with your beloved "angel" while you can, you idiot. Because when she goes back to Heaven, and you're stuck here in the human realm, _I'll be waiting for you, old friend."_

Sebastian grinned, his fangs glistening in the sunlight. "But that's quite a long time. Who knows just what could happen during my stay here on earth?"

The boy dipped his head. "Very well, Sebastian Michaelis. Prove me wrong. But I will warn you; it will be very difficult."

Sebastian met his eyes, his fiery gaze intense. "I will do it for My Angel."

The boy smirked. "Then it will be all the more amusing to watch you crash and burn." He walked away, taking confident strides down the street. He turned a corner, and was gone from Sebastian's sight. He sighed in relief and leaned back on the building.

It was about sunset by the time he returned back to the inn, checking up on Kathryn. She was sitting rigid in her bed, eyes glazed over and disbelieving. Sebastian hesitantly walked forward, and her gaze snapped directly to him, her usually soft and vibrant brown eyes cold as ice. Her voice was low and hoarse, but concentrated nonetheless. She continued staring at him with that strange expression, and he waited eagerly for her to speak her troubles.

"Who… am I?"

The sky was bright, and the world around her was vivid, almost as if she were living within a dream. It was perfect as far as the eye could see. Sebastian lay next to her on a pure white bed, his eyes closed and a peaceful smile on his face. Kathryn had never seen him so happy before.

She slid her legs to the outside of the bed, but he did not stir. He was actually asleep for once.

Kathryn made her way about the room, examining all the bright colors, which seemed to set both a peaceful and happy tone. She walked towards a bathroom, where a luxurious golden bathtub sat in the middle of the floor. There was a large vanity mirror hanging just above a sink. She examined herself and gasped.

Rather than her brownish-golden hair, her hair was a bright, yellowish-gold which glinted in the light. Her eyes were a shade of sapphire blue, with many different colors reflecting and swirling. Her pure white nightgown hung loosely about her, allowing for a pair of golden wings to spread about her shoulder blades. She gasped as he flexed, and found that they moved with ease. The wings were real; real, and very beautiful.

"Love?" asked the angel, opening his eyes and yawning. His silver hair was messy and made him look rather attractive. She turned around, her palms shaky. His eyes opened quickly, and he sat up. "Is… is everything all right?"

She gave him a warm smile. "Oh, I was just wondering about what it must be like to live on Earth. What it would be like to try and be a human for a few years."

He leaned forward, a concerned expression written over his face. "Will you?"

Kathryn turned her gaze away. "I've been thinking about it."

Without a moment of hesitation, Sebastian leapt from his bed and gripped her tightly, wrapping her in a hug. She gasped as sudden warmth covered her. His beating heart could be heard in her ears, and she could smell the faint odor of spice and roses, something she loved on him. He rested his chin on her head. "Please don't leave me. I love you far too much, Bethany. I can't have you leave me. We're supposed to stay together in Heaven for the rest of our lives."

Kathryn sighed. "How could you say that? Wouldn't you at least consider the idea?"

The angel gasped. His baby blue eyes grew sad, and his voice was quiet when he said the words, "Because I care about you. I don't want you to get hurt. If we stay here, you'll be safe. But on earth, demons roam free, and the humans are nearly as vile as them. Please, I'm begging you, Bethany: stay with me."

Kathryn ended her tale. Her eyes were glazed over, and her palms were achy. Her head was throbbing, and her throat was tight. "The whole dream was from Bethany's point of view. Was there another woman in your life, Sebastian? Was there an angel you loved?"

Sebastian actually chuckled at the notion. Kathryn balled her fists and leaped from the bed, pointing her finger into his chest. "This isn't funny, or even amusing, Sebastian! Did you have another woman in your life?"

The demon stopped smirking and grabbed her hand. But his grip was loose, and he more or less was only holding it. A sincere expression crossed his face and his eyes only stared at her fingers. "Of course I haven't. _You were Bethany._"

Her fingers loosened and he let her drop. Kathryn's heart skipped a beat, and her knees crumpled beneath her. She sat on the floor, motionless. The only moving thing in the room was her heart, which was beating madly in her chest. "It's not… possible. I've been human for all my life. I was a child, with a family-"

"It was the life you chose to have," Sebastian interrupted bitterly. "You chose to observe humanity. And somewhere along the way, you sealed away your powers. I don't know why it is exactly that you chose to walk among the earth as a human, or why you were even able to visit Hell. Or actually, why it is you didn't tell me…" he looked away and glared angrily at the wall. But then he sighed and turned back to her. "But, I spent the rest of my life here trying to find you."

Kathryn paused, and allowed her gaze to sweep the length of his body, from the soles of his black shoes to the tips of his raven hair. She smiled. "You looked so different, then. It's hard to believe you're the same person I spoke to in my dream. What happened to your silver hair?"

He reflected on the memory, his crimson eyes glinting. "Well, I lost my pure coloration when I officially fell. Ever since that fateful day, I've looked somewhat like this, although I have altered my physique often to divert any attention. I've also never told anyone my name afterwards, as names hold power, and simply uttering mine can corrupt any mortal."

"Why did you even fall?" Her voice was quiet.

"Because I came to hate the humans. Humans were the things that took you away from me. Humans were the creatures that were so ignorant that they cause themselves harm and war and bloodshed. I wanted to keep you away from them solely for this reason. At first, I tried to abide by your ideals and helped mankind. But after a while, all I could see was the rot and degeneration of society. There is no hope for the humans."

Kathryn took a step back, a wounded expression on her face. "But…_ I'm_ a human…"

Sebastian chuckled lightly and caressed her cheek gently, placing a kiss on her forehead. "You may be a human, but you have the soul of an angel." She blushed and he just gave her a smile. But then, his expression became sober. "You have a soul worth rising for."

The tone of his voice was deadly serious, and Kathryn's eyes widened. "Did… you…" He gave her a nod.

"There won't be any returning to my manor now."

**...Am I making Sebastian too OOC? Ah, oh well. **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"_The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it. You and you alone make me feel that I am alive. Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough_." –George Edward Moore

_"_She's most likely taken the form of a human. Knowing you, demon, you would search the ends of the earth until you found that angel. And she was smart enough to know that. You won't be able to find her- not in this mess of vile creatures. Hell, if you continue going about and killing every human that crosses your path, you might end up accidentally killing her."

Sebastian was standing at attention across from an old man, now. He sat upon a throne of human bones, skin as the leathering. A crown of black stone sat upon his head, with human blood in his goblet. He took a sip from the golden cup and grinned, the point of a canine sticking out from his old lips.

"What am I to do then? I can't very well let go of what humanity had done to me- I cannot let go that they are the reason I cannot ever be happy again."

The old man shrugged. "All I'm telling you to do is loosen up a bit. Don't go on such obvious killing rampages- humans are getting smarter. They can't very well believe in demons and angels if you want my greatest trick to continue on. Perhaps choose a select human to kill every few years?" He tapped his chin.

Sebastian also seemed to be contemplating something. "Well… the souls I've consumed seem to be getting rather boring. And if you say I should loosen up-"

"I've got it! Become a contract dealer!"

The demon seemed baffled. "A… what?"

The man sitting on the throne grinned wickedly. "You'll select an interesting soul- one that coincides with your taste preference. Grant them a wish! Maybe that'll induce more rituals. Yes, serve the humans to their hearts' desires, and then eat them up when you've held out your end of the bargain!"

Sebastian grinned as well and nodded. "I believe that may be a good idea. Yes, I shall."

"So. As it turns out, I was an angel just like you, and I decided to fall to save humanity from itself. You fell to come after me while helping out humanity, trying to do the right thing. But you began to hate the humans, the thing that supposedly drove me away from you, and that's when…?"

"That was when I committed my first crime, and killed an old beggar."

"What possible reason could you have for killing that innocent old man?!"

Sebastian leaned back and appeared to be in deep thought. He was thinking hard. "I think… he came after me, asking for money. When I didn't have any to spare, the man cursed at me, and in a blind fit of rage, that was when I struck. He was not as innocent as you might have imagined, but it was enough." Of course, he wouldn't include the bit about reveling in joy and excitement at the man's dead corpse as he watched beautiful crimson blood leak from his flesh…

Kathryn massaged her temples. "You killed the man for swearing at you?"

He chuckled awkwardly. "I was having a bad day and wanted to see what sinning was like. And as it turns out, sinning is quite… a fun thing to do."

She rolled her eyes and stared out the window. "I can't believe it… any of this. Can you prove to me that what I saw in my dream was real?"

Sebastian's eyes locked with hers and he seemed to grow deadly serious. He did not look away for a second. "I knew it the moment I heard you play your instrument."

"…What?"

"Back when we were both still married, we would spend years simply playing together, and molding our songs into one. I still remember the way your fingers would move delicately over the piano, or any instrument in particular, and the way you always smiled at me as I played mine. But aside from the fact that you played so beautifully with me, there is no way to prove to you that you truly were Bethany, other than the dream. You cannot see with my eyes; I can see past your flesh and new body. I can see the soul lingering throughout your limbs and heartbeat, so strong and pure and yet fragile all the same. Before you played, I had already had a suspicion. But as soon as I recognized your distinctive song, it was unmistakable. You were the one God created for me, and you were the one I would always love unconditionally. It was a bit surprising for me, seeing as you took the form of a human, and even more surprising that you had no memory of your past."

A blush formed on her cheeks and she looked down. Sebastian smiled. "Well, that was…very kind of you. Anyways, what's different, now that you've risen? Where will you go when you die?"

He scoffed. "That's a blunt question," he was, however, amused.

Kathryn's eyes widened and she shook her hands in front of his face, as if to stop him from something. "Oh, no, no, no! Not like that! I mean, I'm sorry- that was rude! I-"

He chuckled and sat next to her on the bed, placing a hand on her forehead. "Your fever's gone far down. It's a good sign." A toothy grin spread his lips and he kissed her gently, laying her down on the bed and continuing.

_Could there be a chance for him after all? _Thought Kathryn.

The kiss ended, leaving Kathryn red and flustered sprawled across the bed, her golden brown hair flowing naturally underneath her neck. Her eyes closed, and she groaned. "That was… certainly new. If your plan was to divert my attention however, I'm afraid you didn't quite succeed. What are you, now that you've risen? Are you a demon? An angel? Did you lose your powers and become a human?"

He cocked his head and remained over her, hovering just over her lips. She could smell him by how close he was to her, and absolutely enjoyed every whiff of his spice. "I'm none of those, I believe. Perhaps you could consider me a fallen angel?"

She nodded. "It's a step above where you once were."

He narrowed his eyes, and an amused smile graced his lips. "Did you hope to rehabilitate me?"

Shivers, without any explanation, ran through her spine to her toes. But they were good shivers. "I saw good in you since the moment you told me you would help me. So naturally, yes, I wanted to give you a better chance, and believed I could do it."

Sebastian's heart felt heavy, and he narrowed his eyes in surprise. Was this… guilt he felt?

He hadn't felt an emotion so powerful for a long, long time. He had lost the feeling of guilt the moment he became a demon, when he sought vengeance on humanity. It was incredible for him to have such a reaction, and it caught him quite a bit by surprise.

_She… loves… me. She would have loved me, even knowing I was a demon. She _admitted_ she loved me _while_ I was a demon. _

Sebastian turned from her eyes and got up, helping her up along with him. "Kathryn… how well do you feel?"

She bit her lip. "I feel much better; it's almost as if I was sick up until the point I had the memory, like my body was telling me to go to sleep just for that purpose. I may be a bit shaky, but I can handle whatever it is you wish to ask of me!"

He smiled at her kindness. "Well, how would you like to go out exploring today?"

She immediately brightened and leaped out of bed, heading for the closet. "Oh, that would be wonderful! I feel so much better, and I really am not that tired because I slept about ALL DAY! Oh, wait- which dress would go good for a night out? What time is it anyways? Oh, can we even see the moon? I do hope so- the moon here is so pretty and not scary and-" as she was yammering on excitedly, she was unconsciously undressing herself… directly in front of Sebastian.

"Er… Kathryn?" he asked a bit nervously. The skin on her neck was exposed, and he could now smell her legs, which would soon be revealed in a very immodest manner.

"Oh! I wonder if we'll be able to meet some nice people going out on the town? Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Her dress hit the floor, leaving her in her corset and underdress. Sebastian sweat dropped. "Kathryn?!"

"What if… what if we could even go out and see a real lake? I haven't seen one in so long- well, not counting the pleasant little _dip_ I took earlier…" At these words, she turned to see the poor Sebastian standing there, a hand over his eyes and his mouth set in a stoic expression. Kathryn furrowed her brow and looked down at herself. She shrieked. "Oh! I am so, so, so sorry! P-Please leave! I was so used to being around you, and in all the excitement…"

He arched an eyebrow and smirked, taking his hand away. She shrieked even further and hugged the dress, which was laid out on the bed, tightly to her chest. He walked slowly towards her and hesitated a moment before quickly tearing the dress out of her reach.

She screeched and was about to run out of the room, but he caught her around her arms and pulled her to his chest, where she shivered in nervousness, a clear blush once again spreading across her cheeks. He chuckled and fiddled with a strand of her hair.

"I've seen it all before, you know…" he said seductively.

Kathryn turned around and slowly met his eyes, her face dropping the blush and a gleam coming into her eyes. "Oh, yeah?" she smiled innocently. Sebastian smiled. But the smile soon vanished when Kathryn smacked the back of his head and ripped away from his grip. "PERVERT!" She screeched one last time, literally pushing him out of the door.

He laughed and allowed her to push him. Through the redness of her face and the blood rushing in her ears, she could hear him laughing still outside the door, waiting for her to get ready for their night out.

**Well, this is the end of my chapter rampage. Okay, so essentially, this is one of the endings of the story. If you want to stick around for fluff and whatnot, there will be five other chapters after this one, each with a small storyline, granted, but still not that big of a deal; just a conclusion. Thank you for sticking around! Don't forget to review the everloving crap out of this fanfiction! **


	11. Chapter 11

~10 Years Later

She was dressed in a simple yet fancy red dress, which was decorated with golden flowers about the hem, and a moss green cloak, which ultimately brought out both the red of the dress and the brown of her hair. Her hair was down and with waves, beautiful in its own way, though hair being pulled up in a bun of sorts was more in style.

The moon hung high in the sky, and the night air was chilly. Kathryn was fine within her cloak, but still shivered occasionally from the breeze, which would ever so often filter through the pores of the cotton in her sleeves. Sebastian noticed this after a while and pulled her closer to him, wrapping a good portion of his own black cloak around her and raising his own body heat so that she would feel warmer.

She sighed comfortably and leaned her head into his chest, nestling close as they continued walking, enjoying both the warmth and smell of her significant other as they enjoyed the brisk night air. Everything around the town was serene and empty, besides the occasional guard which would be out on patrol. The happened across a small bridge and leaned on the sides, staring out into a small canal which shimmered black, reflecting the stars of the night sky upon its clammy surface.

And there Sebastian was, holding her in his arms as the pair gazed out towards a beautiful night sky, finding warmth in one another. Sebastian looked down at the human girl in his arms and sighed. She was looking so beautiful in that moment. She always looked beautiful.

He knew she would die one day, as all humans did. They spent their days now going on long walks and holding one another in comfortable silence. Kathryn was still as beautiful as she ever was, though she had gained a good ten years on her. As Sebastian had told her, he would alter his appearance ever so often to fit into their age and make it look as if he did so naturally.

A young girl was currently being watched over by the nanny at their house, which wasn't a mansion but a mere commoner's house, which Kathryn paid for all on her own (except for when she had taken a maternity leave and Sebastian had to conjure money literally out of thin air). The girl was not a human, but something like his mother would be if she chose not to assume a human form.

Sebastian had discovered that during his walk with her, he had always truly loved her- all of her. Even her human form. At the time, he didn't want to fall in love with a human, for he found himself "better" than that, but Kathryn, with her effeminate charm and good company persuaded him otherwise.

Kathryn was next to him, her smile bringing out a faint wrinkle on her cheek, as it always brought out the best in him. She turned to him.

"It's not always this quiet," She said, leaning in and kissing him on the lips. He grinned and kissed her back.

"I've been missing these alone moments. Elaine seems rowdier than ever these days- something I believe she gets from her mother."

She narrowed her eyes, but her smile was playful. "Oh, really? And what did she get from her father?"

His grin broadened. "Why… my dashing good looks and charm. Many schoolmates are already quite attracted to her already. She is ideal, after all." Kathryn rolled her eyes. He seemed to sweep her up and down within his gaze, and he gave her a teasing grin. "But, I do believe she gets her good nature from you."

"Suck up," she giggled.

~8 Years Earlier

Kathryn beamed down at her pure white wedding dress. It was long and frilly, but also kept her figure very visible. She looked from the hem, which was silk and layered, and her gaze travelled up to her midsection where the corset lay just under the gleaming and hard shell that clung to her curves and ribs. She looked up, all the way up, and saw the silver necklace which she never took of hanging limply above her breast. There was a large diamond in its center. Her hair had been curled to perfection, where part of her bangs hung just over her eyebrows and framing the side of her face.

She sighed as she peeked down the hall, where her groom was waiting with his suit on, waiting patiently for her to come. Within the isles were not family, but friends. Friends she had made. Sebastian seemed to be chatting with one of his friends, a man named Tanaka. He was elderly and infirm, and would most likely meet the end of his days soon. It was the old head butler of the Phantomhive estate. It would seem that the man knew not who Sebastian really was, or really used to be, but remained his friend through it all. After the manor was abandoned by the old lord, he spent the rest of his days in a retirement facility, where he would sip tea and pass time leisurely and happily. Sebastian found him again and invited him, knowing that his memory was gone and all he would recall were the happy times. He had taken out the memory of the Phantomhive family. Tanaka didn't suspect anything due to his old age, and his memory loss seemed to have no effect on the man.

Kathryn looked to the right isle closest to where she would stand. Three women sat there, bickering excitedly and happily gazed at Sebastian. Kathryn had gotten a job as a maid, and Sebastian had taken on the job of being a butler yet again to help aid in supporting the family. They were getting by well in the world.

She sighed and leaned on the wall, too nervous to budge. At times like this, she missed her family. Her father should have been there to give her away on her wedding day. Her mother should have been helping her with the dress. Instead, a couple of unknown maids were the ones to fit the dress onto her, and it was a man named Agni, another one of Sebastian's old friends, who would be the best man. But she would have to walk down the aisle by herself. Although there was Lady Elizabeth, who had come by after the invitation from Sebastian. She had been so relieved that he was still around that she hadn't questioned his sudden reappearance. She was one of Kathryn's bridesmaids.

Agni was a good man that had no idea what precisely had happened to Ciel Phantomhive, nor who he was. He was a butler to Prince Soma, a man whom the two had to invite despite Sebastian's irritation. Soma was sitting somewhere in the back, bawling his eyes out and making a huge scene.

Once the news got out that Sebastian was alive after mysteriously disappearing for a few months, quite a few unexpected characters had popped up. A man called the Undertaker, for one, was a character Kathryn still couldn't quite decipher. Regardless of how much history he seemed to share with Sebastian, it didn't seem at all like the man held any bad regards towards either of them. As Kathryn continued looking about, she realized that she was being watched by the very same man, who happened to be sitting in the very back of the row quietly, almost as if he weren't there in the first place.

Kathryn quickly stepped away from where she was, a little bit worried he would come after her. She was well aware of Grim Reapers now, as Sebastian had himself gone already and bound up a man named Grell Sutcliff, informing that he would kill any of his friends if they allowed the red-haired freak into her ceremony. Sebastian didn't like taking risks.

"My, you look lovely, dear," said a cracking voice. Kathryn turned towards the source, and nearly fainted at the sight of the Undertaker, who was as a matter of fact standing directly behind her. She sighed and lifted a shaky hand to her head, wiping away some of the sweat.

"Thank you. But I do hope you know you're not supposed to see me in my dress before I leave…"

The Undertaker chuckled. "Of course I know. But I figured it wouldn't exactly affect your luck very much if I did, seeing you've braved enough already. Now tell me- why are you ever so hesitant to go and marry him?"

Kathryn sighed and looked down. "I… I don't know. I love Sebastian with all my heart, and feel that I can do this, but… I worry for the future; what will happen once I give him my hand in marriage? What will become of him when I pass on- I am a human now, after all."

The Undertaker smiled gently, something that was new for him. "You'll turn into your true form, of course. It's how you've been around so long- you've died and made the conscious decision to become how you are."

"Why?"

He chuckled. "Why did you make the choice? I know not. But from what Sebastian told me, you did it to help humanity, not knowing your love was looking for you all this time. I think your influence has gotten him this far- you'll make it even further, I guarantee it."

"Does he know?"

"Most likely. In fact, we spoke about it when he invited me personally. I asked him why he hadn't decided to kill you."

Her lips were pressed tight. "What did he say?"

"He said you were perfect in any form you took, and he would be willing to be with you in whatever form you chose- that he would wait for you to come to your true form. He said that he loved you no matter what you look like."

She nodded slowly, and relaxed her breathing a bit. "He's waited for me so long. He's been there for me from the moment I came here until now, being vigilant and understanding. Treating me as a true gentleman should. And he's never once hesitated. And yet, here I am, hesitating to give myself away to the man I love for such a stupid reason…"

"And what reason could you possibly have for hesitating?"

Kathryn stood up straight and sighed. "It's embarrassing."

A wry smile tugged the corner of Undertaker's lips. "Do tell."

Red blood rushed to Kathryn's face, and her skin burned warm. "It may be not because of the wedding in itself, but what will happen… tonight. Afterwards…"

His jaw dropped open, and a large laugh erupted from his throat, and he rocked back on his heels and let himself loose, causing the entire church to go deathly silent. Sebastian deadpanned from where he stood, recognizing the sonic laugh as soon as it came.

Undertaker shook and tears wet his cheeks, and still chuckling, placed a cold hand on Kathryn's shoulders, and she grimaced at the long black nails upon his hand. "You won't be feeling the same way as soon as you begin, my dear. NOW!" he gently pulled her to his side and placed her arm in the crook of his, and grinned at her from under his frosty white bangs. He was wearing a black suit, but still had on his ridiculous hat.

"May I give you away?"

A tear gathered in the corner of Kathryn's eye, and she smiled at him. "You would take the place of my father?"

He nodded solemnly. "Of course. I now consider you my daughter- I've already gotten to know you well enough. I would be honored to do so."

She gave him a small nod, and with her heart beating frantically in her chest, she turned the corner and came into the main room, where she immediately saw dozens of eyes staring at her, as well as a pair of crimson ones, offering an immediate wave of affection and warmth.

Music on an organ began to play, a classic chime that she knew well, and she began to walk down.

She came up the stairs, and the Undertaker shared a look with Sebastian, nodded once, gave her a crooked smile, and seated himself in a nearby chair.

Her heart was aflutter as Sebastian turned to her once again, and their eyes locked. This was it. This was the day she had been waiting for all her life- the day she would find love and happiness, and begin a family. The day their sweet words and kisses all came together to lock them for eternity. He gave her a smile. This was unlike the rest.

As a preacher began reciting words and verses, they held one another in warm regards. He clutched her hand gently and sweetly, rubbing circles on the back of her hands with his thumbs in an attempt to calm her nerves. He could hear her heart beating within her chest rapidly.

She saw something within him before the end, something she would never forget. Something she had never seen before. A light had found its way within his irises, a gleam of purity. She would have made a comment on it, but simply smiled even wider, her heart calming even more. This gleam of good-this piece of him which could only be brought out within her presence- this was her goal. She was turning him towards the light. And he had already taken quite a few steps back towards it.

"Now, for your vows," said the preacher, nearly breathless from the speech which had in reality taken such a long time to deliver. Within their eyes, within their own little world, only seconds had passed.

"Kathryn," said Sebastian, taking a small, polite step towards her, looking at nothing else but into her very soul, sharing in this intimate moment. "From the first moment I saw you, you were to me what I had never seen before. You were purity. You were the light. I was… I was so confused. And you came in to save me. You came in to bring me back to where I belong- you came to do what no one else had ever once accomplished before. You are my soul, my one purpose in life. I used to think I was spending my life finding you. Only now do I realize… you were just around the corner. I never had to find you. You found me, through fate or God, or whoever brought us together; when you were ready, you came. I should have been more patient, and I made many mistakes. It was when we were both more matured, when we both knew what was ahead of us, that we were finally prepared to face one another. And I say this with all my heart, all my soul, all that I am: know that when I say that I love you, it brings forth so much more than a simple language can articulate. Know that a simple utterance such as "love" couldn't begin to grasp what I feel for you."

A tear trickled down the corner of her eye, and she bit her lip. She couldn't stop her smile from nearly breaking her face. She cleared her throat, and spoke.

"Sebastian. Without you, I would be incomplete. I would be nothing. I would have no purpose, and I would be barren and hollow. Once you came to me, once we met, I began to see that there was so much more to life than I had ever imagined. We've shared joy and pain, we've shared our moments of destruction and regrowth. You stood tall through it all, you stood strong and protective, loving and gentle. You've given me so much more than I ever could have possibly dreamed. When I see you, I quite honestly get flustered. How could someone be so perfect? I often think. How could someone think of me as their light, and yet shine so beautifully all their own? You say that I am your light. But please know that you are mine. You are my saving grace. I would be lost without you, lost in this world of darkness. You came to me and saved me time and time again. You are the thing that gives me such perfect insanity, I honestly can't possibly comprehend how strange the feeling is when I look at you. It's almost as if I'm trapped in a dream when I find myself lost in your beautiful eyes. And yet, I know this is not a dream. I know that you stand here before me as the perfect gentleman, the perfect husband, the perfect man I will always love. You are my purpose in life. You are the thing that keeps my heart still beating."

The crowd broke out into a large applause as he slipped a beautiful red diamond ring on her finger, and she placed the larger golden one on his. "You may kiss the bride," said the preacher, a large smile on his old and wrinkled face. Sebastian literally lifted her off her feet, and swung her around, settling her atop his feet. She leaned up and kissed him, closing her eyes in utter bliss and happiness.

~Two Years Earlier

"Daddy?" asked a little girl as her father tucked her into bed. Sebastian hovered over her, a tired smile on his face.

"Yes, Sweetie?"

The girl, who had long black hair and golden-brown doe eyes beamed up at him as she slipped under the covers. "Are you an angel?"

Sebastian paused and observed his daughter carefully. She didn't know yet what she was, nor what her parents truly were. "Whatever do you mean?"

She giggled. "You're always so gentle with me and Mommy, but you can lift some really heavy things. You're always so nice to everyone around you, and you're always reading me the bible. Mommy's just like you- you both are almost glowing compared to everyone else." Sebastian chuckled and kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Well, you see, I want to be one very badly. I want to repent for all my bad actions that I made when I was younger and so much more naïve- and I know I'll have to work very hard to do that. So, no, I'm no angel. But your mother is one. She's nothing short of a saint, someone who showed me how to change."

The little girl sighed contentedly. "You're an angel too- you just don't know it. I can see it, Daddy. I can see you glowing."

**You COULD end here, because after this is just a bunch of one-shots. That's kind of why I put the quote up there. Basically, I introduce Kathryn and Sebastian's daughter after this, as well as her own little path of discovery. I wanted to add in more Black Butler characters in here, so I figured the wedding would solve that problem. You're also going to see some more of Lizzy later on.**


	12. Oneshot

**Kissy kissy~ **

**Lol be forewarned, this is about as close to a lemon as I will ever get. And all they do is kiss. *Rolls eyes* Well, anyways, any italicized thoughts that are left blank are meant to be read as JUST their own thoughts, as Sebastian is trying out a bit of telepathy today. Oh, and the thoughts that look like 'blah, blah, blah', are meant to be read as their conversation. Please enjoy!**

Chapter 12

It was one of those chilly nights of December, when the space around the mansion was coated in sheet white snow, that Kathryn and Sebastian were huddled by the fireplace, sipping warm tea and having pleasant conversation.

"So let's go down the list of things I know. You have incredible speed, strength, and can make food and other things appear out of thin air, and can fly. Good grief- is there anything I missed?"

Sebastian chuckled and fiddled with a strand of her golden brown hair. "Quite a few things, actually. But I haven't shown you everything yet, so I can understand that you would miss them."

Kathryn blushed, embarrassed. "All right- name something else you can do."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, smirking with mischief. "Well… I'm really good in bed…"

"KYAAA~" Kathryn shrieked, inching away from him, hugging her chest. Sebastian chuckled at her flushed face.

"I can also read minds, though I've chosen not to read yours yet out of respect."

Kathryn hesitantly moved back to the warmth of his side, putting her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat under her fingers. "You're telepathic?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

She fiddled with his shirt buttons. "Then… can I see what that's like? Will it hurt?"

_'No_,' he answered, and it took her to realize his mouth wasn't moving when she heard his voice. Her eyes widened as she stared at him.

"So… So how do I respond? Do I just, like, think whatever I want?" He smiled.

_'__Well, you can. The thing about telepathy, however, is that I can see the process of your thoughts as you respond to me. It takes an extremely concentrated mind to be able to say whatever it is you want through your mind. I've had many years of experience in this field, so it's easy for me to handle this. Try talking to me now.'_ Kathryn nodded.

_'__I… Hey! Hello! Am…I… Doing… This? Hm… he's not responding. Does that mean it's not working? Oh jeez- I'm staring really hard at him right now trying to talk with my mind. He probably thinks I'm crazy. Oh, it's really snowy outside! I wonder what he would look like as a snowman. Hehehe~ he would look cute! Though he'd look pretty weird with a carrot nose. Have I ever seen him in a top hat? Would that make him look taller, or would it look silly? Wait- he's smirking. Oh no- nothing good ever happens when he smirks. Can he hear me right now? NO! Now he'll really think I'm weird! Oh, no- he's discovered how weird I am! Calm down, Kathryn, he knows nothing yet, he's just probably smirking at my failure to complete telepathy.'_

_'__I'm smirking at how adorable you are_.'

Kathryn's cheeks burned even brighter. She covered her face in her hands. _'Nghhh I knew it. You heard the entire thing.'_

He gently removed her hands and kissed her red cheek. She sucked in a breath as he maneuvered his arm and picked her up, setting her on his lap and moving the blanket so that she was wrapped more tightly to him. Kathryn smiled faintly as he took her arms and placed them around his neck, and he in turn placed his around the small of her back. Pulling her in, he took his time in kissing her, running his tongue along her bottom lip seductively.

Kathryn kept her lips tightly shut, however, and did not let him in, heart beating frantically. _How am I supposed to kiss like that? And isn't it really dirty to kiss that way? I mean, what if I have, like, bad breath or something? How embarrassing! Even though I did just eat a bunch of cookies, I don't want him to…_

She felt his chest rumble as he laughed. '_I'm glad I decided to use telepathy- that is just so cute! If it were even possible for me to fall any harder for you, that would have done it. Kathryn, you'll do just fine, I assure you.'_

Kathryn bit her lip as she exited the kiss, looking at him carefully. "…All right." '_And thank you for not grabbing my butt or something to make me gasp and then taking advantage of that. I read about that move all the time in my romance boo- I MEAN I HEARD ABOUT THAT FROM SOMEONE!I don't read books like that, ehehehe!'_

Sebastian's eyes flashed and he grinned widely. '_Really, now? Hm, that does sound like a very nice strategic move!'_

Suddenly, something grabbed her backside, making her, of course, yelp. And he took that opportunity to, of course, take full advantage of it.

_'__Hey, what's the meaning of… oh! Oh, that feels good!'_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"_I want to have your babies!" _–Grell Sutcliff

It was the year after they had gotten married, three years after returning to the human realm, that Kathryn had gotten frightfully ill.

Sebastian had managed to slip his way into an earl's rank, and was considered by the new King Edward (during the dawn of the Edwardian era after the demise of Queen Victoria), the King's Raven, an oddly ironic title. He was able to surpass his own master by working hard to infiltrate the system and come upon a decent sum of money, and thus began his steady rise. Kathryn couldn't very well obtain a high position of power on her own, as women were still considered below their men during such a time period, appointing Sebastian as her husband also meant that he was to be her "caretaker" of sorts. But it was all right with Kathryn, as Sebastian treated her with utmost kindness, and as his equal. Each day, once his day's work was finished and cared for, he would tutor her. Kathryn became properly educated in all areas, as a lady should. Finally, they had come across their own manor, a manor called the "Michaelis Estate."

Sebastian's job was simple enough- he was in charge of the educational system for young children, and was considered the founder of many of the school buildings which were situated all over London. He never went to the schools that he owned, only expanding and claiming ownership over them, observing from afar and funding each building. Soon, the educational community was thriving.

The hardships had ended. But one morning, Kathryn awoke to a queasiness on her stomach, and a shakiness in her movements. Quickly, she made her way to the restroom, where she quickly relieved herself of the bile rising in her throat. Coughing and sputtering over the toilet, she fervently laid a hand over her forehead, groaning in pain at the headache she had just acquired. Sebastian rose quickly from the bed and gently laid a hand on her back, rubbing in comforting circles.

"What on earth is the matter with you?" he asked, clearly concerned.

A tear trickled down Kathryn's nose. "I haven't a clue- I was feeling fine up until I woke up…"

He narrowed his eyes. "How long… have you been feeling this way?"

Kathryn leaned back and tried to think. "I haven't wretched in the mornings before, but I've been feeling nauseous. My appetite's gone up but certain things taste weird to me now."

"Have you had your monthly yet?"

Her eyes narrowed as well. "No…" she said slowly, and her eyes began to widen. "A-And I've been relieving myself quite a lot lately, and my breasts have also gotten a bit tender and larger since- Sebastian, you don't think…?!"

He knelt down and placed his hand on Kathryn's stomach, and shut his eyes, listening carefully. The room and everything in it became still, and his wife knew not to move, as she knew what he was listening for.

He could hear and feel her heartbeat, as well as the blood rushing through her veins, pulsing through her with life. And softly, so softly that no human nor animal could have heard, a little heartbeat filled his ears- one that was not his wife's.

He gasped and stepped back, eyes snapping open to reveal their demonic glow. Kathryn's eyes widened at his reaction- never before had she actually seen Sebastian… afraid.

"You are… you are…" he was at a loss for words. His eyes did not change as he brought his head to her stomach, listening further for the heartbeat he had heard before. And sure enough, it was there, beating faintly and weakly. A large smile nearly split his lips, and he wrapped his arms around a blushing Kathryn. "My Angel, you are pregnant!"

Kathryn gasped, and the full brevity of the situation dawned on her. She placed a hand on her stomach and let out a cry of joy. "That's… that's incredible! I'm to be a mother? And you… you'll be a father, Sebastian! We'll be parents!"

He laughed and helped her to her feet, swinging her around and placing her on his own feet so that she looked up to him as he held her- a move he enjoyed to use since the night of their wedding. She cleared her throat, a broad grin on her face. "So. Boy or a girl- who do you think?"

Sebastian snickered. "I wouldn't have any clue- and besides, I have no preference in the matter."

Kathryn cocked her head. "Really? You've never once thought about which you would rather prefer? Come now Sebastian, take a guess, or at least tell me!"

He placed his finger to his chin and seemed to hum, before bending down and kissing the crook of Kathryn's neck. She shivered as his hot breath and lips brushed her skin, travelling down her collarbone. "Any child of yours is the child I would want."

~Le time separator

"Daddy!" squealed Elaine as she hurdled towards Sebastian as he sat, reading on the couch as Kathryn was out in the garden, helping cater towards the blossoming roses. He gasped in shock as the child jumped on his lap and clutching his chest, knocking the wind out of him. And it was hard to knock the wind out of him.

He chuckled and set down the book, already over halfway through it after reading for a good hour. He picked her up and placed her sideways on his lap, so that she wasn't crushing him. "Dear, what's gotten into you? A lady should always-"

"A lady should always act respectful and dignified," she recited, sticking her nose in the air. But then she cast him a sly glance and erupted into a fit of laughter again. "But I'm not a lady yet, and you're not an old fuddy-duddy either!" Sebastian sweat dropped. "Old fuddy-duddy?" he muttered. "Besides, I want to spend the day out with you! You've been going on business trips like crazy, and Mommy said she wanted to spend the day out shopping with a few of her friends."

"Indeed," said a beautiful lady with long, golden-brown hair and pale, soft skin waltzing into the room in a gorgeously layered violet dress. Warm, soft, intelligent brown eyes met with Sebastian's crimson ones, and she gave him a loving smile. "I apologize for such a short notice, but Lady Elizabeth, as you may recall, has never been one for much scheduling."

Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford was Ciel Phantomhive's fiancée at one point. After the engagement was broken off due to his demise, Elizabeth had taken upon herself a new husband and wed five years later. His death still hung about her like a veil of darkness, and she had almost completely shrugged off her childlike innocence and sense of "cute" things. She had actually become more like her mother, Francis Midford.

However, one thing that had not disappeared was both her outward attraction to clothing, spending time with friends and family, and her absolute delight at learning that Sebastian, though he had disappeared, was still alive, and had a new family. From learning these things, Elizabeth, aged in her mid-twenties, decided to spend so much time with the Michaelis family. Though in utter secrecy, Elizabeth only spent time with them for her own emotional state- it was a way of remembering the late earl every time she saw Sebastian.

Such woman stepped into the room, long blonde hair curled, though it hung in a loose ponytail down her back rather than her old "childish" pigtails. Her green eyes lit up at the sight of Sebastian as he rose from his sitting position, with his daughter clinging to his tailcoat. A wide grin spread across her face.

"Hello, Sebastian! Such a delight to see you once again! I do apologize for such short notice, but as I was making my way through town, I had spotted a new shop which had previously opened up, a shop with simply the most elegant dresses! And I thought to myself 'this is something Kathryn should definitely try', and, well, here I am!"

Sebastian gave her a closed-eyed smile. "It's quite all right- you ladies have a fun time. I'll be watching over Elaine. Go, shoo!" he said jokingly. The girls shared a glance, giggled, and began making their way out. However, Kathryn broke away for a moment to kiss her daughter's head before leaving, as had become a ritual in the household. She rose to kiss Sebastian as well, and paused, her lips gracing his ear. Softly, she said something to him which was not audible for any of the other people in the room. "If you're good and don't get into any trouble, I just might surprise you later," she whispered quietly and flirtatiously. He grinned mischievously and bowed. And finally, the room was empty, save for the small girl still standing directly beside him.

Elaine looked up at him curiously. "What does she mean? Is she going to give you cake?"

Sebastian's ears turned red, though he quickly regained his composure. "No! I mean, yes! Cake. Yes, Kathryn is going to make me cake later…" _Not too shabby a cover-up. I can't very well let the truth fall on her innocent ears…_

"I hope I get cake too! Anyways, what do you want to do today?" He raised an eyebrow in thought. He could take a day off his paperwork- after all, it was true he hadn't been spending very much time with his daughter.

"How about we go to a theatre? That's something you might enjoy, huh?" Elaine shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

"Um… if that's what you want," she said with a small smile, though she couldn't help the disappointment lacing her tone. Sebastian sighed.

"No: this is supposed to be a fun day. How about…" a slow, knowing smile full of excitement grew. "Follow me," he said. And little Elaine followed soon after.

He came upon the recreational room, where he quickly began to open the top covering the keys of the grand piano. It was black and absolutely gorgeous; a thing Elaine had previously been lectured on not touching. He seated himself and with his teeth took off the constricting white gloves he wore perpetually over his hand. Glancing towards his daughter, who watched in fascination on the sidelines, Sebastian offered her a warm smile and gestured for her to sit next to him. Shyly, Elaine made her way over, hesitantly glancing at the white keys.

He quirked an eyebrow as she sat beside him. "Did you not tell me you wished to learn how to play?"

Elaine immediately brightened, straightening her back and nodding vigorously. "I've always wanted to! But you always told me not to touch it. Also, I heard you telling Mommy about when you used to tutor another boy- are you going to hurt me if I don't do it right?"

Sebastian gasped and grabbed his daughter, wrapping her in a warm embrace, kissing the top of your head. "I could never harm you- even if you make a mistake! I would be- I would be despicable if I even considered such a thing!" He chuckled and let her go, only to hear her heave a sigh of relief.

"Good. That's why I never said I wanted you to tutor me- I didn't want to disappoint you or be punished."

Sebastian placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her so that she faced him. A look of utter sincerity crossed his face, and it seemed as though they were no longer in the music room but in a world all their own, the only two living beings in existence. "I need you to know that you will never have to worry about me. The very thought- the very idea- that I would ever cause harm to you… it absolutely makes me sick, and hurts me that you would think such a thing. I may be a scary man sometimes, Elaine, but never to you or your mother. You are both my life- the only reason I am who I am. The reason I live. Never doubt me, Elaine."

Elaine nodded and looked away sheepishly, her innocent golden eyes averted from his crimson irises, so serious and sincere. "It's just that… my friends all say their parents beat them when they make a mistake- that they worry about their father or mother."

Sebastian sighed and brought out a music book, opening it to a certain page, thumbing through its contents. "We're not like other families," he stated, though Elaine, though she was still young, could catch a double entendre.

"Okay," she whispered, and thus ended the conversation.

His fingers began to glide over the keys, and Elaine noticed the strange symbol on her father's hand, and the strange color of his nails. She gasped and took his large hand in hers, a hand which hovered over the notes of the piano, ready to begin. She poked his nails, making him raise an eyebrow. Her eyes rolled over the marking on his hand- what looked like a strange star of some sort, its tip pointing at a downward angle, letters etched into the center and the star rimmed in a circle.

"What is this?" she asked him. Memories danced before Sebastian's eyes; memories that would drive any human being to madness if a single glimpse of them were to be transferred to their mind. Blood, death, and sadism consumed his mind: souls extracted from the essence of living creatures: a swirling mass of black feathers: a snarl: a grin, which contained row upon row of razor-sharp teeth: his own rioting laughter: the millions of tortured cries which had graced his ears.

But he only shook his head and smiled politely. "Ah, it's something I'll tell you about when you're older. Now, take a close look here," he said, gesturing towards the many notes on the keyboard.


	14. Chapter 18

Chapter 14

"_If it's your wish, I will follow you everywhere.  
>Even if your throne crumbles, and your shiny crown turns to rust.<br>Even if the bodies pile up endlessly, above the bottomless pile corpses.  
>Beside you as you lie softly down, I will be<br>until I hear the words "Check Mate_."" –Sebastian Michaelis

Kathryn's day started out as any other.

She would wake up in the morning and complete her ritualistic tasks, cleaning, singing, and working on her artwork. Everything was running smoothly; she had utter freedom to do whatever it was she wished.

As she began her walk through the gardens, plucking a beauty every now and then, she thought back to her old life and master. A single bead of blood welled from the tip of her forefinger, making her stare at her hand in awe as the drop of crimson slowly made its way down the back of her hand, plopping to the ground, staining the ivory white pathway which led through the floral décor.

She sighed at the sight, and gasped when she was gripped from behind, a large body pressed against her back, with lean, muscular arms wrapped about her middle. Sebastian chuckled as she jumped, though did not move an inch. Kathryn grinned and leaned back into his chest, enjoying the warmth he offered her in such a cold season. "The roses will be dying soon," she fretted.

Sebastian gently took her hand in his, inspecting the small wound from the rose's thorns. Without another word, he licked the cut clean, making Kathryn blush, still held in his arms. He chuckled, noticing the raise in her body temperature. "Fear not, My Angel. Nothing can affect the beauty of the manor- not while you're here. Roses could never possibly hope to compete with a goddess."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "What an overused line," she murmured playfully, though she tried her best to lean up and kiss him. In truth, due to her shortness, she was only able to kiss part of his neck, something that absolutely stopped his heart from beating.

She noticed his frozen state and freed herself from his grip, looking at him worriedly. Sebastian unfroze and, without another word, plucked her from the ground and rushed back into the manor.

A silky white nightgown lay strewn on the ivory floor of the garden, right alongside a black tie and a pair of white gloves.

Around eight months later, Sebastian had become increasingly aware of a very… palpable shift in his love's mood and customs.

Her stomach had become large and swollen, a sight he rather loved to see. It filled him with warmth to see the glow about Kathryn's sweet and innocent face. Oftentimes, they would sit side by side, playing on the grand piano or she listened to him play on his violin. Or, on very rare occasions, when the mood was just right, he would sing to her in a soft, beautiful voice.

But on this particular day, Sebastian wasn't in the best of moods. And it was particularly because Kathryn was having very rotten luck in handling her pregnancy.

"Sebastian," she groaned on the bed. He was immediately by her side. Tears ran down her cheeks. He wiped them away, knowing her hormones were going mad within her. "Yes?" he asked kindly.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" She wept under the covers. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. They had been through this numerous times already.

"Of course I do," he stated monotonously.

"You never act like you do. I'm beginning to feel like you care more about Lady Elizabeth than me…"

"That's… what?" he asked dumbly, not comprehending how she could ever have made that assumption.

"Never mind. You wouldn't understand," she growled. Sebastian shook his head several times. Perhaps the hormones weren't only going mad, but utterly insane. But then she peeked out seductively from under the covers. "Prove you love me," Kathryn said, striking an attractive pose.

Sebastian chuckled and pecked her lips sweetly, arching an eyebrow. But then, Kathryn got a manipulative little grin on her face, something he found both amusing and unsettling. "You want to know how else you can prove your love?"

He narrowed his eyes as a reply.

A huge, cheeky grin spread across her face. "Can you buy me about as much food as I'd normally eat on Thanksgiving?"

Sebastian did chuckle this time, a sound that filled the room. Kathryn giggled a bit as well, though she strained to keep it contained. "You were faking the hormones, weren't you?"

She blushed. "What can I say? Mommy needs to eat for two now."

"I'll make you something from the kitchen- I shall serve the very best!"

They both knew, however, that the kitchen was about as empty as a bird's nest in December.

Kathryn immediately began to gesture wildly with her arms. "Wait! Wait! Sebastian- no!"

He turned around quickly, giving her a confused look. Kathryn sighed and placed her forefingers on her brow, rubbing her temples. "Could you possibly make something from scratch? Not that I mind when you conjure food, but I feel like we're stealing whenever you do so. It would make me very happy if you could just this once go out and buy the meal from the market."

Sebastian groaned, his neck going limp and his eyes staring at the floor irritably. But, knowing not to argue with his wife, asked dejectedly, "Do I have to…?"

"Yes," his wife said. _Maybe her hormones _are_ going mad after all… What a strange request. But I suppose it is to be expected from one so near labor._

"Fine. But I will be returning shortly- just because I can't use my powers to gather food doesn't mean I can't use my speed to obtain them…" he said the last part quietly. Finally, he swept out of the room, leaving his wife on her bed, napping peacefully, waiting for either her husband or friend to return, envisioning sweet ham and glazed scones.

The clock had only just struck noon when Kathryn's stomach began to feel… odd.

She wasn't hungry, that much was certain. But suddenly, her child began kicking in a frenzy, and she gasped and clutched her belly, feeling every odd movement stirring within her. She felt an odd tightening below her navel, and she gasped once again as her cloak and bed sheets blossomed with warmth.

"N-No," she muttered, and quickly swung her feet over the side of the bed. She limped her way down the hallway as fast as she could, reaching the telephone within a small room. Quickly, she turned the dial and waited patiently for the one she had been trying to reach to pick up.

"Hello?" asked a male voice over the line.

"Hello, doctor Albert?" a happy greeting easily heard throughout the room sounded through the phone. Kathryn moved the earpiece away and rubbed her ear in slight pain. The man was always so peppy and kind towards his patients. "Yes. Uh-huh. I'm doing well actually- yes, my husband and I are both thrilled. Oh- because I believe my water's broken…"

The man gasped through the phone. "I'll be there within the next few minutes- hold tight, Kathryn!" he cried, hanging up. Kathryn sighed and limped to the couch, waiting quietly. Her heart ached with the knowledge that her husband was so far gone.

"Do be quick, Sebastian," she whispered.

The said man was currently purchasing vast amounts of fruit and vegetables, as well as a whole turkey and a large ham. Thanking the butcher, as it was his last stop, he felt a disturbance in the air, almost a sense of emergency. Something was not right with Kathryn, and he could feel it.

Heart beating a bit more quickly, the lord decided that rather than riding in a carriage, he would simply rush his way home- he had to be certain that his pregnant wife was well.

Picking up unfathomable speed, he made it home in a matter of a good half hour, and was shocked to see an unfamiliar carriage outside of his house. Growling in rage, he burst through the front door and sniffed out his wife, who was still in her room. But another smell was in the house- one he recognized all too well from being around for so many years. His anger flickered off faster than a light switch, and he instantly made the connection. His child was on the way.

He heard a light moan as he entered through his bedroom door, and saw Kathryn lying there in pain, sweat already coating her brow. A doctor- the doctor they had gone to see after the discovery- was at the foot of the bed, writing quickly in a notebook of some sort. A nurse stood by the sidelines, dampening a cloth and draping it over Kathryn's forehead.

Kathryn lit up as soon as he came into the room. He quickly knelt by her side and took her hand, stroking her forehead. "Sebastian," she said quietly through the pain in a sweet voice, "You came for me."

Sebastian relieved himself of his gloves and smoothed her hand, calming her nerves. "Of course, My Angel. I will always be there for you."

Thus began the eight long hours of labor.

At the height of all the panic in the room, when Kathryn was squeezing Sebastian's hand tightly- so tightly, in fact, even he felt a bit of pain, a loud cry was heard.

Dr. Albert smiled brightly and held out a cloth, where he began wiping off something that was hidden from both the worried lovers. "It's a girl," he announced happily, maneuvering so that a small, tiny, fragile head was peeking out from the pink blanket she was wrapped.

The doctor carefully made his way over to Sebastian, who hesitantly wrapped his arm around the newborn child. Time seemed to freeze in place as his crimson eyes met the girl's large brown ones, and Sebastian, for once in his long life, was only aware of one presence in the room.

He could sense everything about her, the warmth of her skin, the sound of her beating heart, and those light and innocent eyes which peered at him curiously, taking in their first glimpse of her father. The babe had stopped crying then, and was only staring at Sebastian, holding him in a trance that was indescribable.

Finally, an overwhelming feeling of joy crept into Sebastian's heart, and he smiled softly at the small bundle in his arms.

He laughed softly and held his daughter closer to his chest, leaning down to kiss her soft forehead. Finally, time began again, and Sebastian handed their daughter to Kathryn, who was waiting eagerly to be reunited with her child.

The child shut her eyes and leaned in to Kathryn, and she experienced the same feeling Sebastian had. Kathryn smiled through her tears and leaned her head back, holding her daughter snugly to her chest. The doctor nodded once towards the new couple.

"She's a healthy baby girl, all right- call me if you're experiencing any difficulties, or need a consultant." And from there, the house was empty, all but the new family remained.

"Daddy?" asked Elaine, only five years old as she lay on her bed, her father just about ready to blow out the candelabra.

"Hmm?" he asked, not really paying attention as he moved the sheets up, tucking her in.

"Can you read me a story?" she asked quickly, excitedly. Sebastian smiled and kissed her head.

"Well… I'm sure if it only took a few moments, your mother would understand. Which one would you like to hear? Princesses? Animals? Knights?"

"The Raven," she chirped quickly. Sebastian literally froze on the spot and visibly shivered.

"The Raven? By Edgar Allan Poe? First of all, where did you get the idea? Secondly, why in the world would you want to hear a story that will only frighten you?"

Elaine pouted. "Pleeeeease? I've always wanted to read his stories, and I haven't heard that one, even though it's probably the most famous!"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. Even at the age of five, Elaine had grown quite a fancy towards books and other philosophical arts, namely music and painting. She was a strange child, but her intelligence was to be expected as the daughter of an angel and a risen demon.

Elaine guiltily looked away. "Please?" she whispered. Sebastian sighed, already caving in to his adorable daughter.

"Fine. But don't say I haven't warned you- this book has given children older than you nightmares…" he chuckled at the memory of Ciel Phantomhive, when he rose from his slumber and pointed a gun at his head.

He went into the library and procured the novel, then sitting at the foot of his daughter's bed and clearing his throat, opening the novel.

_"__Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, _

_Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—"_

Sebastian read aloud to his daughter, his deep, ominous voice rolling over her ears, creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Almost immediately, she began to shake a bit in her bed, clutching the sheets tightly as she listened to the tale.

It was strange, Sebastian thought, that his daughter would want to hear such a dark poem. Truly, it was almost comical that she wished to hear about the raven himself- it seemed to almost excite her, in a way. He thought it was amusing, but also dreadfully worrisome. He didn't want his daughter to take such an interest in his previous life. Though the raven within the poem was utterly only capable of uttering the one word, driving the narrator to his own descent into madness, the mere mention of the bird was foreboding enough to him. But, he carried on nonetheless, interested to see how his daughter would react.

_ "__And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting _

_On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; _

_And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, _

_And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; _

_And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor _

_Shall be lifted—nevermore!"_

Sebastian finished the poem. As he read, his voice had taken an odd and queer tone at first, one that sent chills down Elaine's spine. She had never known her father could ever read in such a way; it quite honestly frightened her, just by the captivating essence of his tone.

He ended the tale and observed the child in her bed, her hands clasped tightly on her sheets, staring at him with wide eyes. He sighed.

"It scared you, didn't it?"

Elaine nodded slowly. "Maybe I was just a little overconfident…" she let out a shriek as the tree just outside her door scratched on the windowsill. Sebastian visibly flinched and sighed. Elaine looked at her father hopefully. "Can I sleep with you?"

Sebastian chuckled and nodded, picking her up bridal style and taking her to the bed, where Kathryn was just slipping in. She arched an eyebrow when they came in, Elaine already asleep in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, whispering as to not wake her baby up.

He gave her a closed-eyed smile. "She asked me to read her a scary story before bed, and then got scared and asked to sleep with us."

"Please, Mommy?" asked Elaine, her eyes still closed.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "I thought you were asleep…?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes, though the smile never left her eyes. She made some space on the bed for the extra body, ushering Sebastian over. "Come on, then."

Later that night, the two things that gave meaning to Sebastian's life slept soundly in his arms, his daughter clutching his shirt. He smiled as he watched the two girls in his life looked so peaceful, so calm and happy as dreams took them away from reality.

His daughter's reaction had pleased him: he wouldn't have to worry about her being drawn into darkness. As the very poem itself frightened her, he knew that she would never try to delve any deeper than this.

He knew that one day, he would have to tell her… everything. The thought made his heart beat a bit faster, but he knew that it would have to happen one of these days. He just hoped that when he did, Elaine would be wise enough to understand that he had changed.

His wife's head lay on his hand, and he could feel just how soft her gorgeous and long brown hair was as it was entwined in his fingers. He could feel his daughter's head on his shoulder, and watched as her eyes flickered just beyond her eyelids. Though he didn't sleep quite the way humans did, he always wondered just how they dreamt; what was it like, to escape to an alternate reality of their own invention?

But he was glad he chose not to sleep at the moment. It would mean missing holding on to the things most dear to him. He stroked his sweet little girl's soft brown hair which was so much like her mother's and sighed happily. This was _his_ happy ending. Whether he would be accepted back into heaven because of his change or not didn't matter. He was just glad to live in such a way, to be with his loved ones. This was a family he could protect: the missing pieces in his life. Never again would he feel so alone and in despair. Never again would he let such good fortune slip through his fingers.

"I love you," he whispered, shutting his eyes. But no one heard him.

**I am SO sorry to everyone who saw this chapter before I edited it. That poem I pasted in, um, TWICE, was not supposed to be there in the final draft. I tried to get rid of it, but I guess it didn't work and I had an unfortunate glitch and... ugh. Sorry about that. It has been fixed!**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"_If it's your wish, I will follow you everywhere.  
>Even if your throne crumbles, and your shiny crown turns to rust.<br>Even if the bodies pile up endlessly, above the bottomless pile corpses.  
>Beside you as you lie softly down, I will be<br>until I hear the words "Check Mate_."" –Sebastian Michaelis

Kathryn's day started out as any other.

She would wake up in the morning and complete her ritualistic tasks, cleaning, singing, and working on her artwork. Everything was running smoothly; she had utter freedom to do whatever it was she wished.

As she began her walk through the gardens, plucking a beauty every now and then, she thought back to her old life and master. A single bead of blood welled from the tip of her forefinger, making her stare at her hand in awe as the drop of crimson slowly made its way down the back of her hand, plopping to the ground, staining the ivory white pathway which led through the floral décor.

She sighed at the sight, and gasped when she was gripped from behind, a large body pressed against her back, with lean, muscular arms wrapped about her middle. Sebastian chuckled as she jumped, though did not move an inch. Kathryn grinned and leaned back into his chest, enjoying the warmth he offered her in such a cold season. "The roses will be dying soon," she fretted.

Sebastian gently took her hand in his, inspecting the small wound from the rose's thorns. Without another word, he licked the cut clean, making Kathryn blush, still held in his arms. He chuckled, noticing the raise in her body temperature. "Fear not, My Angel. Nothing can affect the beauty of the manor- not while you're here. Roses could never possibly hope to compete with a goddess."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "What an overused line," she murmured playfully, though she tried her best to lean up and kiss him. In truth, due to her shortness, she was only able to kiss part of his neck, something that absolutely stopped his heart from beating.

She noticed his frozen state and freed herself from his grip, looking at him worriedly. Sebastian unfroze and, without another word, plucked her from the ground and rushed back into the manor.

A silky white nightgown lay strewn on the ivory floor of the garden, right alongside a black tie and a pair of white gloves.

Around eight months later, Sebastian had become increasingly aware of a very… palpable shift in his love's mood and customs.

Her stomach had become large and swollen, a sight he rather loved to see. It filled him with warmth to see the glow about Kathryn's sweet and innocent face. Oftentimes, they would sit side by side, playing on the grand piano or she listened to him play on his violin. Or, on very rare occasions, when the mood was just right, he would sing to her in a soft, beautiful voice.

But on this particular day, Sebastian wasn't in the best of moods. And it was particularly because Kathryn was having very rotten luck in handling her pregnancy.

"Sebastian," she groaned on the bed. He was immediately by her side. Tears ran down her cheeks. He wiped them away, knowing her hormones were going mad within her. "Yes?" he asked kindly.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" She wept under the covers. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. They had been through this numerous times already.

"Of course I do," he stated monotonously.

"You never act like you do. I'm beginning to feel like you care more about Lady Elizabeth than me…"

"That's… what?" he asked dumbly, not comprehending how she could ever have made that assumption.

"Never mind. You wouldn't understand," she growled. Sebastian shook his head several times. Perhaps the hormones weren't only going mad, but utterly insane. But then she peeked out seductively from under the covers. "Prove you love me," Kathryn said, striking an attractive pose.

Sebastian chuckled and pecked her lips sweetly, arching an eyebrow. But then, Kathryn got a manipulative little grin on her face, something he found both amusing and unsettling. "You want to know how else you can prove your love?"

He narrowed his eyes as a reply.

A huge, cheeky grin spread across her face. "Can you buy me about as much food as I'd normally eat on Thanksgiving?"

Sebastian did chuckle this time, a sound that filled the room. Kathryn giggled a bit as well, though she strained to keep it contained. "You were faking the hormones, weren't you?"

She blushed. "What can I say? Mommy needs to eat for two now."

"I'll make you something from the kitchen- I shall serve the very best!"

They both knew, however, that the kitchen was about as empty as a bird's nest in December.

Kathryn immediately began to gesture wildly with her arms. "Wait! Wait! Sebastian- no!"

He turned around quickly, giving her a confused look. Kathryn sighed and placed her forefingers on her brow, rubbing her temples. "Could you possibly make something from scratch? Not that I mind when you conjure food, but I feel like we're stealing whenever you do so. It would make me very happy if you could just this once go out and buy the meal from the market."

Sebastian groaned, his neck going limp and his eyes staring at the floor irritably. But, knowing not to argue with his wife, asked dejectedly, "Do I have to…?"

"Yes," his wife said. _Maybe her hormones _are_ going mad after all… What a strange request. But I suppose it is to be expected from one so near labor._

"Fine. But I will be returning shortly- just because I can't use my powers to gather food doesn't mean I can't use my speed to obtain them…" he said the last part quietly. Finally, he swept out of the room, leaving his wife on her bed, napping peacefully, waiting for either her husband or friend to return, envisioning sweet ham and glazed scones.

The clock had only just struck noon when Kathryn's stomach began to feel… odd.

She wasn't hungry, that much was certain. But suddenly, her child began kicking in a frenzy, and she gasped and clutched her belly, feeling every odd movement stirring within her. She felt an odd tightening below her navel, and she gasped once again as her cloak and bed sheets blossomed with warmth.

"N-No," she muttered, and quickly swung her feet over the side of the bed. She limped her way down the hallway as fast as she could, reaching the telephone within a small room. Quickly, she turned the dial and waited patiently for the one she had been trying to reach to pick up.

"Hello?" asked a male voice over the line.

"Hello, doctor Albert?" a happy greeting easily heard throughout the room sounded through the phone. Kathryn moved the earpiece away and rubbed her ear in slight pain. The man was always so peppy and kind towards his patients. "Yes. Uh-huh. I'm doing well actually- yes, my husband and I are both thrilled. Oh- because I believe my water's broken…"

The man gasped through the phone. "I'll be there within the next few minutes- hold tight, Kathryn!" he cried, hanging up. Kathryn sighed and limped to the couch, waiting quietly. Her heart ached with the knowledge that her husband was so far gone.

"Do be quick, Sebastian," she whispered.

The said man was currently purchasing vast amounts of fruit and vegetables, as well as a whole turkey and a large ham. Thanking the butcher, as it was his last stop, he felt a disturbance in the air, almost a sense of emergency. Something was not right with Kathryn, and he could feel it.

Heart beating a bit more quickly, the lord decided that rather than riding in a carriage, he would simply rush his way home- he had to be certain that his pregnant wife was well.

Picking up unfathomable speed, he made it home in a matter of a good half hour, and was shocked to see an unfamiliar carriage outside of his house. Growling in rage, he burst through the front door and sniffed out his wife, who was still in her room. But another smell was in the house- one he recognized all too well from being around for so many years. His anger flickered off faster than a light switch, and he instantly made the connection. His child was on the way.

He heard a light moan as he entered through his bedroom door, and saw Kathryn lying there in pain, sweat already coating her brow. A doctor- the doctor they had gone to see after the discovery- was at the foot of the bed, writing quickly in a notebook of some sort. A nurse stood by the sidelines, dampening a cloth and draping it over Kathryn's forehead.

Kathryn lit up as soon as he came into the room. He quickly knelt by her side and took her hand, stroking her forehead. "Sebastian," she said quietly through the pain in a sweet voice, "You came for me."

Sebastian relieved himself of his gloves and smoothed her hand, calming her nerves. "Of course, My Angel. I will always be there for you."

Thus began the eight long hours of labor.

At the height of all the panic in the room, when Kathryn was squeezing Sebastian's hand tightly- so tightly, in fact, even he felt a bit of pain, a loud cry was heard.

Dr. Albert smiled brightly and held out a cloth, where he began wiping off something that was hidden from both the worried lovers. "It's a girl," he announced happily, maneuvering so that a small, tiny, fragile head was peeking out from the pink blanket she was wrapped.

The doctor carefully made his way over to Sebastian, who hesitantly wrapped his arm around the newborn child. Time seemed to freeze in place as his crimson eyes met the girl's large brown ones, and Sebastian, for once in his long life, was only aware of one presence in the room.

He could sense everything about her, the warmth of her skin, the sound of her beating heart, and those light and innocent eyes which peered at him curiously, taking in their first glimpse of her father. The babe had stopped crying then, and was only staring at Sebastian, holding him in a trance that was indescribable.

Finally, an overwhelming feeling of joy crept into Sebastian's heart, and he smiled softly at the small bundle in his arms.

He laughed softly and held his daughter closer to his chest, leaning down to kiss her soft forehead. Finally, time began again, and Sebastian handed their daughter to Kathryn, who was waiting eagerly to be reunited with her child.

The child shut her eyes and leaned in to Kathryn, and she experienced the same feeling Sebastian had. Kathryn smiled through her tears and leaned her head back, holding her daughter snugly to her chest. The doctor nodded once towards the new couple.

"She's a healthy baby girl, all right- call me if you're experiencing any difficulties, or need a consultant." And from there, the house was empty, all but the new family remained.

"Daddy?" asked Elaine, only five years old as she lay on her bed, her father just about ready to blow out the candelabra.

"Hmm?" he asked, not really paying attention as he moved the sheets up, tucking her in.

"Can you read me a story?" she asked quickly, excitedly. Sebastian smiled and kissed her head.

"Well… I'm sure if it only took a few moments, your mother would understand. Which one would you like to hear? Princesses? Animals? Knights?"

"The Raven," she chirped quickly. Sebastian literally froze on the spot and visibly shivered.

"The Raven? By Edgar Allan Poe? First of all, where did you get the idea? Secondly, why in the world would you want to hear a story that will only frighten you?"

Elaine pouted. "Pleeeeease? I've always wanted to read his stories, and I haven't heard that one, even though it's probably the most famous!"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. Even at the age of five, Elaine had grown quite a fancy towards books and other philosophical arts, namely music and painting. She was a strange child, but her intelligence was to be expected as the daughter of an angel and a risen demon.

Elaine guiltily looked away. "Please?" she whispered. Sebastian sighed, already caving in to his adorable daughter.

"Fine. But don't say I haven't warned you- this book has given children older than you nightmares…" he chuckled at the memory of Ciel Phantomhive, when he rose from his slumber and pointed a gun at his head.

He went into the library and procured the novel, then sitting at the foot of his daughter's bed and clearing his throat, opening the novel.

(Everyone, this entire poem was written by ((obviously)) Edgar Allan Poe. I'm literally copying the poem out of some website, because I absolutely love it. Like seriously, it is my all-time favorite poem.)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless _here_ for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—

Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow _he_ will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."

Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of 'Never—nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,

_She_ shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—_is_ there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, _still_ is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless _here_ for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—

Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow _he_ will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."

Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of 'Never—nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,

_She_ shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—_is_ there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, _still_ is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless _here_ for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—

Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow _he_ will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."

Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore

Of 'Never—nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,

But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,

_She_ shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—_is_ there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, _still_ is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted—nevermore!

_"__Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, _

_Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—"_

Sebastian read aloud to his daughter, his deep, ominous voice rolling over her ears, creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere. Almost immediately, she began to shake a bit in her bed, clutching the sheets tightly as she listened to the tale.

It was strange, Sebastian thought, that his daughter would want to hear such a dark poem. Truly, it was almost comical that she wished to hear about the raven himself- it seemed to almost excite her, in a way. He thought it was amusing, but also dreadfully worrisome. He didn't want his daughter to take such an interest in his previous life. Though the raven within the poem was utterly only capable of uttering the one word, driving the narrator to his own descent into madness, the mere mention of the bird was foreboding enough to him. But, he carried on nonetheless, interested to see how his daughter would react.

_ "__And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting _

_On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; _

_And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, _

_And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; _

_And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor _

_Shall be lifted—nevermore!"_

Sebastian finished the poem. As he read, his voice had taken an odd and queer tone at first, one that sent chills down Elaine's spine. She had never known her father could ever read in such a way; it quite honestly frightened her, just by the captivating essence of his tone.

He ended the tale and observed the child in her bed, her hands clasped tightly on her sheets, staring at him with wide eyes. He sighed.

"It scared you, didn't it?"

Elaine nodded slowly. "Maybe I was just a little overconfident…" she let out a shriek as the tree just outside her door scratched on the windowsill. Sebastian visibly flinched and sighed. Elaine looked at her father hopefully. "Can I sleep with you?"

Sebastian chuckled and nodded, picking her up bridal style and taking her to the bed, where Kathryn was just slipping in. She arched an eyebrow when they came in, Elaine already asleep in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, whispering as to not wake her baby up.

He gave her a closed-eyed smile. "She asked me to read her a scary story before bed, and then got scared and asked to sleep with us."

"Please, Mommy?" asked Elaine, her eyes still closed.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "I thought you were asleep…?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes, though the smile never left her eyes. She made some space on the bed for the extra body, ushering Sebastian over. "Come on, then."

Later that night, the two things that gave meaning to Sebastian's life slept soundly in his arms, his daughter clutching his shirt. He smiled as he watched the two girls in his life looked so peaceful, so calm and happy as dreams took them away from reality.

His daughter's reaction had pleased him: he wouldn't have to worry about her being drawn into darkness. As the very poem itself frightened her, he knew that she would never try to delve any deeper than this.

He knew that one day, he would have to tell her… everything. The thought made his heart beat a bit faster, but he knew that it would have to happen one of these days. He just hoped that when he did, Elaine would be wise enough to understand that he had changed.

His wife's head lay on his hand, and he could feel just how soft her gorgeous and long brown hair was as it was entwined in his fingers. He could feel his daughter's head on his shoulder, and watched as her eyes flickered just beyond her eyelids. Though he didn't sleep quite the way humans did, he always wondered just how they dreamt; what was it like, to escape to an alternate reality of their own invention?

But he was glad he chose not to sleep at the moment. It would mean missing holding on to the things most dear to him. He stroked his sweet little girl's soft brown hair which was so much like her mother's and sighed happily. This was _his_ happy ending. Whether he would be accepted back into heaven because of his change or not didn't matter. He was just glad to live in such a way, to be with his loved ones. This was a family he could protect: the missing pieces in his life. Never again would he feel so alone and in despair. Never again would he let such good fortune slip through his fingers.

"I love you," he whispered, shutting his eyes. But no one heard him.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"_You give up your future, lose your dream, are stained with despair… Yet at the same time, you shake off your past, fight reality, and never lose your nobility._" –Sebastian Michaelis

Sebastian had gone off on business, and would be gone for most of the day. Knowing this, Kathryn decided to take her daughter out.

"A fair!" Elaine cried excitedly, twitching in her carriage seat, her long blue dress rustling with her movement. Kathryn chuckled and pet her daughter's hair.

"Yes, dear. But please do calm down!" she kissed her head.

Elaine giggled, but never stopped staring out the window. And after a good hour, they had arrived at the very place they had wanted to go.

Taking her daughter by the hand, Kathryn paid the coachman and wandered about, buying many miscellaneous things and enjoying spending time with her daughter. "Step right up!" a man cried out, waving his hand theatrically towards his display. "Step right up and knock down these blocks! If you manage to do so, you win one of these delightful prizes!"

Elaine's eyes widened at the sight of the large stuffed animals he had put on display. One in particular caught her interest: a kitten with a large spot just above its right eye. Instantly, she fell in love.

Tugging her mother towards the display, she looked at her pleadingly. Kathryn chuckled. "All right, dear. We'll see what we can do."

Paying the man, Elaine took a little rubber ball from him and aimed carefully towards the blocks. Throwing with all her might (which wasn't much as she was only eight years old), she managed to knock the top three off. Throwing twice more, she had only knocked four blocks off the platform.

Chuckling, the man pretended to stumble, knocking over the rest of the blocks. His shaggy blonde hair streaked with white swayed as he did so, and his wrinkled face exposed his kind smile. "Oops," he said, dusting himself off, "I seem to have knocked the rest down. Now, since I'm a man of my word, which prize would you like?"

Elaine gasped happily and clapped her hands together. "The black kitty!" she said, making the man chuckle. He took it down off the rack and handed it to her.

Kathryn patted her daughter's shoulder. "What do we say?"

"Thank you!" Elaine squealed.

"Really. Thank you very much," Kathryn said, nodding towards the old man.

He smiled and tipped his hat. "Not a problem at all. Really, she's got quite an arm!"

Kathryn chuckled and steered her daughter onwards.

The man watched as they continued on, watching as the happy family enjoyed the fair. But his wrinkly smile had been long forgotten. "Those the Michaelises?" asked another man in a black suit, leaning on the edge of the counter.

"Yes. Those are our money bags."

Kathryn and Elaine both piled into the carriage. Elaine clutched her stuffed animal tightly, talking nonstop about how much fun she had had at the fair, grateful her mother had taken her. It had been an eventful day, and Kathryn was ready to get home to her loving husband. However, something seemed… off.

She peered out the window after a good thirty minutes. She didn't recognize the landscape as the carriage stopped. "Hey…" she murmured at first, checking to ensure she was right. "Hey!" she finally cried, opening the door. But just as she did so, a man was waiting for her outside, the same man with the wrinkled smile. He wasn't smiling any more.

"Elai-" she didn't get to finish her sentence as her vision went dark.

"Mommy!" Elaine screamed, watching her mother fall back in the carriage, blood on her forehead caused by being beaten over the head. Elaine cried and tugged on her mother, urging her to wake up. She made no move.

The door swung open behind her. Just before she could fight back, her vision also went dark, pain flashing behind her eyelids.

Sebastian had only just gotten finished in solving the most recent of cases when he felt that something was off once again. It was not like the time when his wife had gone into labor with Elaine: this time, it felt bad. As in, something was utterly wrong.

Now, as he wasn't human, he knew precisely where his daughter was. She was his own blood after all: he knew where she was at all times (a nice addition to being what he was). Following her trail, knowing that where she was, her mother wouldn't be far behind, he came across an abandoned manor far away from where his own was, out in the middle of the woods.

He saw a carriage parked just outside. Looking in, the strong smell of blood was enough proof for him.

His appearance had changed within a millisecond. His typically calm and kind red eyes had flashed with rage and hellfire, and a dark shadow began tumbling in waves off of his shoulders and back. A growl rose in his throat, utterly inhuman, and dark enough to make a grown man soil himself.

Pupils dilated to slits, he quite literally tore off the hinges of the house, making good care to ensure his footfalls could be heard throughout the house.

Elaine awoke with pain wracking her forehead and blood on her hands and face. When she tried to move, she found that she was unable, as her hands were bound. Looking around her, noticing she was in a dark, candle-lit room, she found her mother unconscious beside her, and the old man along with an accomplice sitting beside him, talking to one another, unaware she was awake. She listened in.

"How much do you think she'll sell for?" asked the kind man with the wrinkly face. But he didn't seem so kind any more.

"Who? Kathryn? She'll probably cost a little more. Probably use her as a toy." _A toy? Like my kitty?_ "The girl… I don't really know. I mean, she's younger, so she's more youthful. But then again, she's smaller. I'm not sure. But the prices for two very important ladies can't be too low."

The other man she couldn't see clearly due to the darkness of the room. What she did see, however, was long blonde hair and seemed to be a bit dramatic. He was a bit older, but seemed to be rather attractive, though his hair was streaked in grey.

"Yeah. When do you think they'll wake up? Should we get 'em prepped for the auction now, or-"

A loud bang, along with a tearing sound, was heard farther down the hall. Both men leapt to their feet as screams were heard and more thumps fell to the ground. Elaine gasped and wriggled back a bit, frightened by the noise. What was going on?

The two men shared a glance and the man with the wrinkled face grabbed one of the guns sitting on the counter, stealthily making his way out of the room and into the hallway to investigate the noise.

The man with blonde hair wordlessly knelt down to the girl, soundlessly gripping her hair firmly in his hand and pointing a gun to her head. Elaine began to cry, though she did so without making a noise, knowing he would shoot if she whimpered.

They sat this way for a while, neither talking, neither making any move. Elaine just stared straight ahead, not wanting to look at the barrel of a cocked gun.

Finally, footfall could be heard. A cry from the old man rang out in the house, followed by gunshots. Then a loud thump falling to the floor. Elaine began to cry harder and harder, her throat quivering and her body shaking.

Finally, the door opened slowly. So slowly that it made her heart skip several beats, just in anticipation of what would happen next. Her gaze was instantly drawn to black shoes that shone faintly in the candlelight. Then up black trousers to a black suit, and up to familiar long black hair. She couldn't see quite so far, but she could have sworn that her father's eyes were glowing. She did at this point let out a slight whimper, though she was too terrified to say anything.

Sebastian stood still and took in the sight of his wife, unconscious on the floor with crimson blood running from a cut on her head to his daughter, who also had a cut on her head with dried red blood running from this cut as well as various others across her face.

"Elaine," he said in a calm voice, trying his best to contain his utter rage. Elaine shook. "Please, close your eyes."

Knowing this would go without consequence, she did as her father instructed, trusting him.

She heard his voice. "Viscount Druitt. How interesting that you would still be doing such filthy business."

The man holding Elaine laughed, though the sound was hollow. "Well, when your reputation is soiled, you need to find some way to live. I must remark, you've got quite a family, butler. Your wife is simply gorgeous. Your daughter is adorable. If I were a younger man, I might actually continue on to describe how precious your family is. But time changes people. It's strange that it doesn't seem to have changed you, however. You still look so youthful. I wonder what it is you've done to have stayed that way."

A chill ran up Elaine's spine as the room grew colder. She saw the glare of candlelight through her eyelids vanish, and she knew the room was swallowed in darkness. A few footsteps were heard, and she knew her father had taken a few steps closer.

Viscount Druitt nudged his gun closer to her forehead, and Elaine let out a small cry. "Now, now," he said, smiling, "You wouldn't want your daughter's head splattered on the walls, would you?"

Sebastian stopped. She heard her father sigh. "Very well. You leave me no choice. Would you like to know how I've kept such a youthful form?"

Druitt chuckled. "Please. I just need the beauty advice."

"Very well," Sebastian said, his voice growing darker. "It's because I'm not a human being."

Viscount actually started to laugh. "Wh-What? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Nonetheless, he clutched the gun tighter.

Sebastian nodded. "Ah, yes. It is true. Though I'd rather have kept this little secret, once again, you've left me no other choice. Do you recall, Viscount, many years ago, when I was still a butler, what I'd said to you?"

Viscount shivered. "Y-You said… something like… "I'm simply one… hell of a… b-butler?""

"Right," he cooed, cocking his head to the side. "You're very right! What good memory!" A little black flame of darkness grew off his shoulder.

"I-Impossible," Viscount trembled. He was the one shaking now.

"Oh, I assure you, it isn't. Now, I'm not going to lie: as soon as I married my beautiful wife, Kathryn, I had changed my ways around. I'm not a murderer any longer." His teeth had grown long and sharp, bore in a terrifying smile.

The Viscount heaved a sigh of relief. "S-So you're not going to do anything." He smirked.

"No. You're still going to die. I just wanted you to know that if you hadn't taken my wife and child, you would live to see tomorrow." The long flames of darkness began to coat the room, and Sebastian's eyes had glowed even more harshly, so harshly that they were almost small suns. His nails had grown longer.

"N-NO! NO!" Viscount was hysteric. He fired his weapon directly into Elaine's forehead.

Elaine screamed in pure terror. But when she felt no pain, she disregarded her father's orders and looked at the gun, seeing that no bullet had been embedded within her skull.

Her father's glove had been discarded, and she saw his hand with the contract symbol, gripping the bullet between two fingers. His nails were long and sharp. Elaine's gaze travelled up his arm, looking at the black flames. She then saw his face. And what she saw terrified her beyond all belief.

Instead of warm red eyes, his eyes were fierce and glowing, with flames dancing around black slits which were his pupils. His teeth were what terrified her the most: those long canines that almost seemed wolfish. "D-D-Daddy…" she barely even whispered, gawking at him, shaking in her spot.

His eyes changed to a cooler red when he looked at her, though he didn't change completely back. "Dear, please do close your eyes again. Do as I told you," he said as gently as he could.

Elaine trembled and shook her head. She noticed that Sebastian had an iron grip around the Viscount's throat. "P-Please, n-no…"

Sebastian sighed. "I'm really telling you to listen to me, Elaine. Please close your eyes, turn away. As soon as I'm done, I'll get you and your mother, and we can leave."

Elaine trembled in her place. "Daddy, don't kill him…"

He turned away from her and looked at the man in his grip, who was currently choking in his hand. His eyes blazed with Hellfire again. He growled. "No. This is going to happen. This man has been victimizing women and children just like you and your mother for twenty years, now. He is not going to live. Elaine, do not look, or I promise you, you will not like what you see."

She didn't like this side of her father. He looked so frightening and angry, and his eyes… they were the most haunting thing she had ever seen.

During this whole process, the Viscount had taken a firm hold of the gun once again and aimed it at Elaine. Sebastian growled with pure rage and ripped the gun away from him, rising to his feet and raising the man above his head, still in his vice like grip.

Sebastian's eyes glowed like two suns. He looked down to his daughter. "Elaine, look away NOW!" He commanded. She didn't think twice and averted her gaze.

Sebastian snapped the man's neck. The sound of bones crunching echoed throughout the black room.

An eerie silence followed after. Elaine cried silently where she sat. She felt the vibration of the Viscount's body hitting the floor behind her.

Sebastian dropped the body. His form had gone back to normal, though he kept the candles unlit. He didn't want his daughter to see everything.

He gently knelt down and hesitantly placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. Elaine whipped her head towards her father and scooted away. Sebastian sighed and looked away. "You're… a demon," she said slowly, drawing out each word as if it were venom dripping from her mouth.

Sebastian paused. "Yes."

Elaine shook her head rapidly. "You read the Bible to me! You- You're always so nice a-and you never looked like a-a demon…"

Sebastian wrapped his arms around his daughter and kissed her head. Elaine was shaking, and he tried to rub her back to calm her down. "Elaine… I will tell you everything when we get home. This I promise to you. But I have to get you and your mother out of here. I don't like that you are around all of this."

Elaine just nodded meekly, not wanting to say another word. Sebastian picked his daughter up, holding her in his contract hand. He picked a still unconscious Kathryn up in his right arm, and with speed that could not be mustered with human strength, ran home.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"_Yes, My Lord."_ –Sebastian Michaelis

Kathryn awoke in her bed, sweating, sputtering, and coughing something horrible. Sebastian was at her side, tending to her forehead. He smiled once she awoke. She was panting, though immediately calmed herself once she caught sight of her love.

"Ah, good morning, my dear," he said, leaning down to kiss her passionately. Kathryn grinned and deepened the kiss, running her hand through his hair.

"Good morning to you as well. Thank goodness you got to me in time- thank you for that." Sebastian chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed, twiddling his thumbs and avoiding eye contact. A grim sort of smile was set in his face now, one that concerned his love greatly. "Is something wrong?" she asked, clearly worried.

He nodded. "Elaine saw everything."

Kathryn gasped at the statement. Her daughter had been awake when Sebastian came to rescue them. "What did she see?"

He turned to her, a small tear forming in his crimson eye. "Enough to hate me."

Kathryn gasped and wordlessly quickly maneuvered over to wrap her arms around her husband. "I'm certain our daughter doesn't _hate_ you. She could never! You must have just caught her by surprise, something that's utterly typical in this type of situation-"

""_In this type of situation_"? What part of this situation is normal for a little girl to be exposed to?!" He was raising his voice, though his anger was not directed towards Kathryn. "She was kidnapped, beaten, bloodied, had a gun pointed to her head, watched as her father transformed into a… a _beast_, then ordered to turn away as her father murdered a man right behind her! This shouldn't have ever happened… this shouldn't have ever happened to my little girl- or to you! You're my wife, my love, my _mate_, and I couldn't protect you!" he snarled, eyes growing brighter by the minute. Kathryn sighed and placed her hand on his chest.

"Calm yourself," she murmured. He sighed and regained his composure. "Is Elaine asleep?"

He nodded. "She dozed off as I ran back home. I don't know how to go about talking to her tomorrow, or how to even show my face again."

Kathryn balled her fists and stood up from where she was sitting. "Sebastian Michaelis," she hissed, immediately gaining his attention. "Just what do you think you're doing? The girl, though you may not realize it, has my mentality. Do you realize how easy it was to forgive what you are as soon as I saw your inner self? She won't hate you- she's just a little surprised at how things turned out as all."

Sebastian sighed and nodded. "I hope you're right. I really, really hope."

Elaine rose from her bed early that morning. Mostly because her father was the one to rouse her from her sleep.

She quickly rubbed her eyes and smiled at him. But the smile fell when she saw his troubled expression. It was only when he turned to look at her that she remembered what he had become the night before. The worried expression soon became a frown as she remembered what had happened.

Sebastian slowly made his way into his daughter's room and came near the edge of the bed. "Good morning, dear," he said. But the words were pained.

Elaine sat up in her bed and crossed her legs, staring at her father. He sat down next to her, his long legs drawn out so much that they actually hit the wall on the side of her bed. There was a long silence before he spoke, and when he did, he didn't meet her gaze.

"So… what do you think now?"

"Eh?" asked Elaine, tilting her head. "What do you mean? About you?"

Sebastian nodded and turned to her, fixing his crimson eyes on her with a burning intensity that she had only just come to know. Elaine fidgeted under his gaze, clearly awkward about being woken so early and placed under such a stressful conversation. She knew she would have to say her next words carefully. "Well… I didn't like that you killed that man. And I don't like what you are…"

Sebastian nodded. "I can understand that. But Elaine, there is something you should know, first. I'm not really considered a demon any longer: I've risen. It's why I've been trying so hard to be such a good man: I want to be on good terms with God. That's why your mother married me: I had changed, and she could see the good in me."

Elaine gripped her bed sheets tighter. "How many people have you killed, Daddy?"

Sebastian looked his daughter over and sighed. She really was just like her mother. "A lot."

Elaine looked at her father's hands, hands that had been tainted time and time again with the blood of so many victims, hands that had held her in their grip and pet her, hands that had wrapped her in hugs and turned the page of her bedtime stories. She looked up to stare at her father's eyes, which had burned with the intensity of Hellfire as they watched the life of the Viscount leave his body. Eyes that held her in such warm regard. Eyes that had been watching her oh so carefully her entire life.

She looked then to her father's mouth, which was set in a grim line at the moment. It was always set in a smile when he was around her. But it also contained razor-sharp teeth… she didn't want to imagine the scene of him ever putting those canines to use.

She narrowed her eyes and straightened her back. "I want to see it."

Sebastian furrowed his brow. "Beg pardon?"

"I want to see your true form. If this is what my father really is, I want to know him as that. Lift your façade, and let me see it." Her voice wasn't aged properly. She sounded all too mature then, all too much like a grown woman. A very familiar grown woman who was currently waiting in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the day.

"I.. are you certain, Elaine? It isn't pretty." She nodded once. He nodded slowly. "Very well. I have no reason to hide it from you now that you know the truth."

The room seemed to darken, and once again, Elaine felt a familiar cold gust of wind, knowing the temperature of the room lowered as well as the lighting. Black flames sprouted out of his shoulders first and then his body. His hands morphed into claws, and his teeth sharpened into those fangs that terrified Elaine so before. His eyes turned back into those little windows to Hell, and a pair of large black wings sprouted from his shoulder blades.

Sebastian, or, to put it more clearly, the demon, pressed them flatter against his back, so that he didn't show her how long they were.

Elaine stared at the creature sitting right on her bed, and the creature in return stared back at her. She was frozen for the first few moments, just scanning over the form of her real father for the first time, watching, and almost waiting to see if he would do anything. When he didn't move towards her, or even move at all for that matter, she inched slowly forward.

Sebastian wasn't quite sure what to do. He didn't know what to say to his own daughter; what was the right choice? It was highly unlikely that any parent had ever been placed in such a situation, to expose to their child just what they were. Should he have even let her see what a demon looked like?

No. It was the right decision to make. He wanted her to know what a real demon looked like.

Elaine slowly extended a hand to touch his black wing. Faster than light, Sebastian caught her hand, making her shriek at the sudden movement. She tried pulling frantically away, crying and turning, trying desperately to get out of his grip. But he placed his other hand around her, this time lifting her and placing her on his lap once again.

"Elaine. Look at me." His daughter slowly stopped struggling and froze at the voice. It wasn't like her father's voice. This one was too deep to be her father's light and smooth voice. This one… this one was…

She did as she was told and turned to the creature. He sighed. "You wanted to see what I really was. You claimed you wanted to know what your father really was, right? Well, here's the truth." Elaine shook her head.

It was in this moment that she understood who she was seeing now. She wasn't looking upon her father but a creature designed to make her miserable. A literal demon had appeared before her, a demon that was ancient, twisted, and evil. All she had to do was just glance at him to know that she was in danger.

"You're not my father. My father is nothing like you, _demon._"

Sebastian's eyes widened. That hurt. A lot. However, he wasn't ready to let the conversation end right there. Instead, he let out a small laugh, though the laugh sounded more injured than anything else. "That isn't true, and you know it."

Elaine glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"I've been like _this_ all along," he said angrily, "I was this demon when I played piano with you, and I was this demon when I read you those stories every night. I've been this way all along, hidden just beneath my human form. There's no denying what I am now, and there's no denying that I am your father. Because despite what I look like now, Elaine, and despite what you may think, I still love you very much. I don't care if you hate me for this, I will remain your father for the rest of your life."

Elaine started to cry. She had been holding back on her tears in sheer defiance, not willing to let him see just how much pain she was being put through. But now she let them fall in a rush of emotion, and quietly under her breath, she sobbed.

Sebastian paused, and as quickly as his true form had come, he let it go, deeming that she had seen enough. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around his daughter. She sobbed into his chest. "Why, Daddy? Why are you like this? Why didn't you stop from killing that man? H-How can you love me?"

He rubbed his daughter's back slowly, kissing her forehead. "Elaine… I made a very, very bad mistake, and ended up paying the price. And why would you ask why I love you?" he brought his daughter's chin up so that she could see him again, this time in his human form. His red eyes swirled with love and concern. And the more Elaine thought about it, these were the same eyes as the creature she had seen only a moment ago- they mirrored one another in the fact that they both held her in warm regard. "You're my baby girl- my precious, precious baby. I'll never stop loving you- you and your mother." He smiled and kissed his daughter. But then, his expression changed as he thought. "And anyone who dares try and take either of you away from me dies."

Elaine pulled back and stared at her father for a long time before nervously trying to get down. Sebastian chuckled and picked her up, setting her down beside him on the ground. "Now. What would you like to know? I'm certain you've many questions."

She looked her father up and down, thinking hard. What could she ask him? He was an ancient being… and as soon as she thought of that, she had her question. "How old are you?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Really, you are just like your mother. My actual age dates back to the beginnings of Heaven and Earth. So… you could say… goodness, I've actually lost track of how many years I've been alive. Let's just say… a very long time."

Elaine's jaw dropped to the floor. "You're… you're…" she bit her lip, trying hard not to say it.

Sebastian sighed and rolled his eyes. "Just say it."

"You're _old_!" she burst out laughing. Sebastian's eye twitched, but regardless, he laughed too. Only his daughter was allowed to say that about him, though.

"Okay… well, what can you do? You know… do you have any special powers?"

He grinned. "Well, I'll leave that up to you to figure out. If you watch close enough, you just might be able to pick up on a few of them."

Elaine nodded, but then narrowed her eyes as a sudden question came to her; an important question at that. "If you're a demon, then… what does that make me?"

He smiled proudly. "It makes you my child. But as I can tell what you're thinking, I'll also say this: you are no demon, child. Demons are made, not born." But then he paused and thought of something interesting. "However… angels actually are born."

Elaine tilted her head. "But neither of my parents are angels…"

"Actually…" Sebastian smiled warmly, staring off to a distance that Elaine couldn't grasp, "Your mother is."

Kathryn was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for her daughter and herself, when Elaine, followed by Sebastian, entered the kitchen. She smiled warmly at her daughter, and her daughter came up to give her mother a tight hug. "Mommy! I thought I lost you!"

She chuckled and kissed Elaine's head. "Well, I had Sebastian to protect me." Elaine grinned up at her mother.

"Can you tell me about you being an angel?"

Kathryn slowly set the pan down and thought, turning to look at her husband. "I… well…" she shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

Elaine was still excited. "What about your true form? Can I see that, too?"

"…Too?" she asked wearily, looking at Sebastian.

He nodded. "She asked to see it, so I showed her my true form."

Kathryn went from weary to angry in a flash. She grabbed her spatula and quickly took the pancake off the stove so that it didn't burn, before whirling around and walking up to Sebastian, smacking the back of his head. "Ow…" he grumbled.

"YOU SHOWED YOUR DAUGHTER YOUR TRUE FORM?!" She was… beyond hysterical.

Sebastian put his hands up in defense. "Yes. I did. I showed her what I really looked like." He glared at Kathryn's spatula, which she was pointing at him angrily. Quickly, he swiped it out of her hands, setting it down on the table. "What's so bad about that?"

"You really… you really think that was a good idea, Sebastian? How did she react? How badly did you scare her?!"

"Um, Mommy…I'm right here…" Elaine said, grabbing the pancake from off the counter and making her way to sit next to Sebastian at the table.

He smirked and crossed his arms, while Kathryn just deadpanned. "I rest my case."

Kathryn sighed and turned to her daughter, who was munching away on the food. Taking one last angry glance at her husband, she leaned on the counter.

"You see, Elaine, I am what you might call... both a human and an angel. I was an angel who fell to Earth in order to protect humanity. Sebastian was once an angel as well. But, he lost me when I fell, and looked all over for me. I had made the choice to become a human. After losing me, your father… he made many bad choices, and wound up on the wrong side.

"But then, he found me again. And as soon as he found me, in this human form, he knew that I was the one he had been searching for all these years. So, we married. And then decided to have you. I don't quite have the details of my angelic past, and I don't have a true form: but, however, you are an angel, Elaine, because of my blood. Though I cannot access my own form, you can. This is why you cannot die, and why you have such a good-natured soul."

Elaine leaned back, taking in the new information. "Wow…" she murmured, gazing at her parents with awe. "How can you unlock your true form? There's got to be some way…"

"Very perceptive, Elaine," her father complimented, though his eyes didn't move from Kathryn. "In order for her to turn back to what she once was, she would have to die. When she does so, she is presented with four options: to stay on Earth as an angel, to trade her memories and assume the form of a human, wander the Earth as an angel, or go back to Heaven."

Elaine looked down. "Oh. Then I'd rather not see it, then." Both Kathryn and Sebastian chuckled at their child. "But…" she turned to Sebastian and fixed her doe brown eyes on him, "If you'd waited so long to find Mommy, and you wanted to get her back… why didn't you kill her?"

Kathryn gasped at the question, and Sebastian's eyes widened at the idea. He would have to choose his next words carefully. "Because, dear…" he said slowly, "I love your mother no matter what form she takes. And, I could never cause any harm whatsoever to her: why would you assume I would?" he had considered it in the past. But what he said was true: Kathryn was just as valuable to him as a human as she was as an angel.

Thinking of his wife, he turned to her and looked her up and down, taking in her appearance. He noticed for the first time that she had actually aged a bit. There was a slight wrinkling around the edges of her mouth and eyes, though they were happy lines. The skin on her hands seemed to have thinned, exposing the blue veins beneath them. She had gotten thinner over the course of their years together: thinner and a bit more fragile. But it didn't bother him in the least: he still found her as beautiful as she used to be.

Though her exterior beauty might have been slowly fading away, she was just as precious as she was the day he had first been reunited with her. The bruise on her head only made him realize that he needed to protect his wife better than before.

Kathryn smiled at her husband and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him gently. "Come on then, Elaine. I think that's enough questions for one day. How about we make our way over to the music room?"

Elaine immediately brightened. "Yes!" she cried, grabbing her father's hand, pulling Sebastian after Kathryn. He chuckled and followed after them.

It was later that night while Elaine was being tucked away into bed by her father that she remembered the many questions she had for him. As he sat on the edge of her bed, pulling the sheets so that they rested just above her shoulders, she perked up and tried to get his attention. Sebastian smiled and paused.

"Can I still ask you questions?"

He nodded. "Ask as many as you desire."

"What is that tattoo on your hand? Are your nails black because of what you are? What do you eat? Do you ever fly? How can-"

"But please refrain from asking all of them at once," he chuckled, raising a hand to cut her off. Elaine huffed and her father ruffled her hair. "However, I can answer you. The tattoo is a contract symbol which essentially binds me to all those I choose. It gives the other soul power over me, and vice versa. I choose not to answer the second question. And yes, I do fly, though I haven't in quite a while."

"Wait… a contract symbol? Who would you bind yourself to?" Sebastian frowned.

"You really are too smart for your own age…" he muttered. " I used to bind myself to a particular human who required my assistance in achieving some ultimate goal. In exchange, I would ask for something in return. So, to answer your question, humans." He decided to fill her in on enough information to satisfy her curiosity. Sebastian didn't want his daughter digging around for any more answers.

Elaine sighed and shut her eyes. Sebastian leaned down to kiss his daughter goodnight, and she yawned afterwards. "Can you tell me a story?"

"Which story would you like?" asked Sebastian, reaching for the bookshelf.

"Not one of those- one of your own." Elaine waited patiently as her father thought back to something intriguing he could tell her.

"What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"A scary one."

"But… I thought you didn't like scary stories. Remember- you came to sleep with us the other night when I read you that poem?"

Elaine smiled. "I'm not scared any more- you can protect me."


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

Elaine had grown into a very beautiful woman. And when one considers the true definition of "beautiful woman," they come nowhere close to what Elaine looked like.

Her brown locks had turned to a dark black over the years, a black that resembled her own father' s hair: sleek as a raven's wing. Her eyes hadn't changed much, though they had in fact grown a shade or so lighter, so that her eyes had a golden hue. Her skin glowed in the sun: smooth and pale as fine porcelain.

Her lips had grown fuller, and her cheeks a healthful glow. She was rather short, just like her mother was. However, she was beautiful nonetheless. And once she reached the age of eighteen, she had met a handsome young man.

Sebastian was quite obviously the protective father. He had made the young man Elaine had found sweat more than once under his gaze. The human still had no idea what he or his daughter was, but Elaine understood that only the man she married could be trusted with such information.

Elaine had grown to understand her powers. She knew that she was not quite yet a full angel: she would have to die and awaken, much like her mother. However, she still pertained quite a few powers.

Eventually, his daughter actually _did_ leave them: she left to go and start her own family with the young man, though she still occasionally visited her parents. Thanks to the security of her home life, and the more than exceptional education gifted to her by her father, she had grown into the perfect wife: a graceful and intelligent maiden whom all the men of London pined after.

Kathryn was still a fairly young woman when she started to feel ill.

Her body had begun to grow weak, and she had grown into coughing on more than one occasion. Pretending it was a simple cold, she went on with her duties.

The cough progressed.

One day, as Sebastian and Kathryn were sitting together companionably at the piano, she decided to sing for him, just as she used to.

They were having a jolly time, and Sebastian was perfectly happy, holding his beautiful wife as her voice, much like that of a dove's, rang about through the house. But then, just as she was singing, a spot of blood appeared on her lips.

Eyes widening in sheer panic, Kathryn backed away, continuing to hack and cough and moan, falling to her knees and trying desperately to shield her husband from the sight of her pain. "Kathryn!" he exclaimed, diving for her and holding her back comfortingly as she finished coughing into her hands. More blood had appeared.

Faster than the eye could see, Sebastian dashed for the phone and called the doctor as his wife continued to spew blood into her shaky hands.

She had caught tuberculosis. There was no cure.

Throughout the rest of her remaining months, Sebastian cared for his sick wife. He carried her all around the house as her illness made her lose the strength to stand. He made sure she was comfortable. He made sure she was eating well.

Despite such wonderful treatment, her disease was progressing throughout her body. On more than one occasion every day, she would find herself squeezing her eyes shut as a pain as sharp as a dagger occurred within her chest. Every day she lost more and more blood.

Sebastian began to grow extremely weak himself. His eyes had rims about them from lack of sleep. His hair was even messier than usual. His red eyes had grown dull. He had entered a state of depression, and when he wasn't around his beautiful wife, insanity overcame his senses.

Kathryn knew her husband well enough to know she was hurting him more and more with his condition. One day, when she was feeling especially faint, Sebastian was by her bedside as she slept, his face wet with his own tears. No one was capable of making him cry except for his family.

Kathryn woke up beside him. Her weak and shaky hand left from under the covers and caressed his larger one. She pet him mindlessly, keeping her warm brown eyes on his weeping form. "Stop crying," she said softly, a gentle smile on her face. "It hurts me more to see you like this."

Sebastian quickly wiped his face, though his eyes remained puffy. Kathryn looked at the dark circles under his eyes and frowned. "You look like you haven't slept in a thousand years."

He averted his gaze. "It's been more like ten, though I have dozed off occasionally, taking a nap."

She chuckled. But the mood grew sober over every passing second, ticking away her life. She lifted his chin, and he leaned forward, taking her hand. "I've come to realize, Sebastian, that everything us humans do day to day only stalls death. You knew this day would come."

He gripped her hand a bit tighter, as if he were holding on for dear life. "I didn't want to think about it. You're going through so much pain, Kathryn. Our daughter is worried sick about you. I'm worried sick about you. I've killed so many humans in my life that I thought… it wouldn't be this… _hard!_" Tears began to form in his eyes again. "My God, Kathryn. You mean so much to me! I would gladly lay down my own life for you: I would die so that you wouldn't feel so much as a prick on your finger! Why is it that humans have to be so damned frail!" he roared, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him. He held her gently, though, knowing that she was weak.

His back began shaking, and Kathryn stroked the back of his head lovingly, running her hands through his raven hair. "Sebastian, I'm not going anywhere. Once I let go and actually do pass on, I will return to you, so that we can roam the earth together."

He shook his head and moved back, maneuvering his head so that all she could see were his crimson eyes: they were so close that she felt his breath on her lips, smelling always of mint. "I want you to leave me here, Kathryn. That is why I've been so distraught. I want you to leave me, a sinner, to the Earth. I want you to go to Heaven and live out the rest of eternity as a blissful angel."

Kathryn smiled and actually did kiss her husband, her plump lips warm over his. "I will stay here, with my beloved. This is my paradise, Sebastian."

He was so moved by her words that his eyes widened and his heart began to ache. "I-I can't do this to you… you belong in paradise, the eternal-"

"I belong," she interrupted, stroking his head yet again, "With my husband."

He let out a shaky sigh and hugged her once more, laying her down gently on her bed, his arms wrapped around her. But Kathryn had more to say. "Now Sebastian," she said sincerely, looking him directly in his eyes. The mood of the room had disappeared, and everything seemed to turn black and fade out around them, so that they were in a room all their own. Sebastian had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"…Yes?" he replied hesitantly.

"I want you to kill me, now."

His heart literally stopped, and did not begin to beat again. It was the final straw. His hands began to shake. "Wh-Wh-What?!"

Kathryn nodded sincerely. "This pain… this pain that I have inflicted upon both my family and myself… this pain has to go. I've been thinking about this frequently, and I believe it is time for my life to end and for my life as Bethany to begin."

He moved back in the bed, as if he were frightened of even touching her. "K-Kathryn! I can't do this! I can't do this to you! How would you even… how would you even _want_ to…"

She sat up weakly, leaning on the headboard of the bed. "You know how to kill as painlessly as possible, correct?"

He froze. "I mean, yes, I know how to kill without much pain, but I would never kill you, Kathryn! I can't even stand the sight of you pricking your finger, yet you expect me to go through with this?!"

She nodded solemnly. "I do, Sebastian, because I have my utter faith in you. You know that in the end, I will return. Why are you so hesitant now? Didn't you want me to become the angel you'd always dreamt of?"

Sebastian continued moving back from her. "Kathryn, I love _you._ All of you. Your human side, your angel side, your fiery side, your sweet side, your sad side, your gentle side, your passion… I love you, every bit of you, from the tip of your head to the bottom of your feet, I love you with all of my heart and soul. I belong to you and only to you, and you belong to me. I don't think I would ever be capable of causing you any harm."

Kathryn looked at him sadly. "Please, Sebastian. This hurts me so much. Every day has become a struggle. I've stopped eating the things you've made for me. I've stopped drinking water. I've stopped sleeping. I am ready to go now, Sebastian, and I need you to help me. Please, I beg of you!" Tears fell down her cheeks now, her chest erupted once again in a flurry of pain, and she clutched at it, squeezing her eyes shut as she was stricken once again with a hacking cough, blood seeping through her nightgown.

Sebastian made his way slowly towards her, climbing onto the bed and holding her. When her coughing went away, he only held her in his arms and stared at her. She wiped the blood from her mouth.

They stared at one another. His crimson eyes delving deep within hers, watching her weak soul slowly beating within her body, pulsing with innocence and love. He lowered his eyelids and kissed her slowly, drawing out their last moment together. And slowly, they parted. Sebastian caressed her cheek gently, running his thumb over her chin. He stared deep into her eyes. The movements still sent shivers down her spine: he truly did love her.

"Sebastian, I-"

He hushed her. "I know. Please, Kathryn. Don't speak. I am going to kiss you now. But this will be different from the other times. I will literally be drawing your soul from your body. You'll go into a deep sleep. You won't feel any pain whatsoever. When you awaken, you will be an angel. However, you still have this choice, Kathryn. You can still live out the rest of your life… you can still choose to wait."

She coughed softly into her hand. "No," was the last thing she said, looking up at him pleadingly.

He nodded gravely one last time. His eyes were the last thing she saw before she shut her own: eyes that burned with a thousand suns.

Sebastian pressed his lips onto hers. Kathryn didn't feel anything other than the warmth of her husband at first. But then, she began to feel dizzy. Her body soon became paralyzed, and she couldn't move a muscle. Her heart began to beat faster, and she sensed a little hesitation on Sebastian's side. She was still aware of his lips on hers. She thought she felt one of his sharp fangs hidden behind his lip.

She knew he was pulling away: and this he did, not want to continue any longer. With her last bit of strength, Kathryn forced herself up, pushing harder on his lips, urging him on. He hesitated a last time, and continued.

Finally, Kathryn began to no longer feel dizzy, but light. A warmth spread all around her, and she suddenly felt as though she were heading some place inviting. Understanding where she was headed, she quickly halted in her journey.

Sebastian felt her body slacken, and he understood that Kathryn's soul was just outside of her body. Though he really, truly wanted to take her for himself, he released her. It would be her decision.

He felt her presence in the room: the presence of a released spirit on its way to whatever destination it chose. He sensed her disappearing, and he sighed as she began to leave. _She's going to Heaven…_

But suddenly, the presence grew denser. His eyes widened. _She didn't…?_

A glow formed just around Kathryn's still warm body, and Sebastian watched in fascination as her hair began to glow, and her complexion brightened. Gold began to make its way down her already golden-brown hair, and he had to set her down gently when wings began to grow from her back: golden, beautiful wings that glistened in the sun. Her clothes altered, and she now wore a beautiful, bright white dress. Everything about Kathryn was luminous.

He listened carefully to the still silent room. Her heart began to beat slowly at first, and then quickened its pace. He sighed in relief and sat down, staring at her, waiting for her to awaken.

A man clad in a pitch-black suit hovered impatiently over the body of a woman wearing a pure white dress. His wine red eyes swept over her thin form, from the large eyes that housed thick, curly lashes, down her small face to her pink lips, which were full but faded. She had a beautiful, healthful figure. At last his gaze settled upon her legs, which were pale and smooth to the touch. However, he did not care about the woman's beauty. He never cared about appearances, simply what lay beneath them.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled softly at her husband, who had stood by her side for as many years as she could remember.

"Sebastian."

He grinned at her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her as tightly as he could, knowing that he could not harm her. She hugged him back, her grip just as tight as his. Finally, he shut his eyes, shaking and happy in such a grip, knowing that he would no longer feel worry or guilt or even fear.

"My Angel."

The angel stood on her own, standing across from Sebastian, observing him with a placid and intelligent gaze. She looked him up and down, taking in all of his features. "My… how nice it is…

_to see you again."_

**AAAAAAH! I love endings! Yes, this is the last chapter, I'm afraid. Thank you for sticking around for the ride, and I love you all!**


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